FORMER Ghana captain and African football icon, Asamoah Gyan, has tipped the Super Eagles of Nigeria as one of the strongest contenders for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title, set to take place in Morocco from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.
News Point Nigeria Sports reports that Gyan, who spoke to journalists on the sidelines of the 2025 CAF Awards in Marrakech on Wednesday, said Nigeria’s quality, experience, and recent near-successes put them among the tournament’s top favourites alongside hosts Morocco and defending champions Ivory Coast.
The Black Stars legend noted that although Ghana failed to qualify for the tournament, denying them a chance to compete, the AFCON remains packed with several heavyweights capable of lifting the trophy.
But he singled out Nigeria as a team with the drive and firepower to challenge for their fourth continental crown.
“Nigeria did well; they were close in the last two years,” Gyan said while assessing the major contenders. “Ivory Coast also did well, and Morocco is another strong team. These three countries; Nigeria, Ivory Coast and Morocco are favourites.”
Gyan believes the Super Eagles will be further motivated by their recent setbacks, including the team’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and their inability to win the last AFCON, where they fell short despite strong performances.
Nigeria, who last won the AFCON in 2013 under the late Stephen Keshi following earlier triumphs in 1980 and 1994 are widely expected to mount a serious challenge in Morocco as they seek a long-awaited fourth title.
The Super Eagles will compete in Group C, where they will face:
Tanzania on December 23
Tunisia on December 27
Uganda on December 30
With a strong squad and high expectations from fans across the continent, Nigeria will hope to advance from the group comfortably and push deep into the knockout stages.
