AFCON 2025: Five Things We Learned About African Football

In the fifth minute of extra time of the AFCON 2025 final, Senegalese midfielder Pape Gueye etched his name into the tournament’s book of history. What briefly looked like a potentially broken play during a forward run set up as the chance for an attempt, and Gueye slammed a befitting strike from the left side of the Moroccan box into the right top corner of the opposition goal. Force and technical magnificence collided in a defining moment for African football.

After nearly a month of competitive negotiating in Morocco, Senegal emerged victorious, scoring 13 goals and conceding just two in its seven matches. Despite some serious fair play controversy, AFCON 2025 lived up to its anticipation, boasting solid offensive football, tactical battles, strong organizational chops, and more than enough color to represent the spirit of the continent.

Below are five important highlights that defined the just-concluded edition of Africa’s premier footballing tournament.

A Final to Remember 

For well over 15 minutes, there was disorder at the AFCON 2025 final. The majority of the Senegalese team withdrew into the dressing room in protest of a penalty awarded to Morocco. It’s not controversial to assert that a foul was committed and the penalty was valid; however, the Senegalese team’s vexation hinged on a disallowed goal about two minutes before the incident. At the risk of courting controversy, the goal should’ve stood, and it seemed to be emblematic of alleged bias in the officiating, tilted towards the hosts. This claim had been widely spread online since the latter stages of the competition.

Senegal’s talisman Sadio Mané, who remained on the field with some of his teammates, including captain Idrissa ‘Gana’ Gueye and Ismaila Sarr, ushered the rest of the squad back on the field. Mané told the press that he pushed for the game to continue to protect the dignity and image of African football. Moroccan forward Brahim Díaz missed the ensuing penalty. Senegal’s Pape Gueye scored a thunderous strike early in the second half, steering the Teranga Lions to their second AFCON title.

A+ for Infrastructure, Not-so-much for Fair Play

From a purely footballing perspective, AFCON 2025 was arguably the best-organized AFCON in recent memory – if not ever. As a viewer, the pitches were wonderful playing surfaces and aesthetic marvels. Inside comments from players and officials largely praised the efficient organization of the competition. “The people here operate at a very high level in terms of order and security. I have never taken part in an African competition organized at this level,” Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah said at a post-match conference during the tournament.

Morocco has spent the better part of the last decade setting itself up as a powerhouse in African football, both on and off the pitch, hosting three consecutive editions of the women’s AFCON and using this AFCON as a dress rehearsal for co-hosting the 2030 World Cup.

However, the hosts undercut that hospitality with some crass gamesmanship. Before the final, Senegal sent a letter to CAF detailing gimmicks seemingly used by the hosts, including difficult travel logistics and lack of training privacy, to derail its preparations. During the semifinal, Nigerian goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali had his goal-side towel taken by Moroccan match officials several times and also had a banana thrown at him — an overtly racist incident. It was disheartening and disgusting to see the lack of fair play — a serious issue in African football — rear its head on a huge stage that should unite, not separate, Africans through competition.

Social Media Continues to Sustain Broader Conversations

Even though the X (fka Twitter) experience has been all but ruined, the social media platform still managed to be an important hub of conversation for AFCON. Gone are the days when users had the choice of seeing posts on their timeline in chronological order, which makes it less easy to engage in real-time conversations. However, the banter still flowed amidst the (un)friendly competitions and rivalries. More importantly, social media offered full access into AFCON, whether it was players sharing snapshots of their time during the competition or fans providing a much-needed look at angles not shown by match cameras. Many of the crude tactics employed by Moroccan players, volunteers, and officials were widely shared on social media. X, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and similar apps brought millions together, emphasizing the significance of AFCON in the post-digital age.

The Surprise of Predictability

Heading into the semifinal, all four of the qualified teams — Senegal, Morocco, Nigeria, and Egypt — were in the top five of African football official rankings. It was a signifier that the contenders came to play, supported by playing conditions that allowed the best teams to thrive in their unique styles. Although only two goals were scored from open play in the last four matches, it was more a reflection of high-level tactical deadlocks than a lack of offensive push. 121 goals were scored at AFCON 2025, the most goals scored at a single edition of the tournament. This meant there were no surprise runs by fringe contenders or unexpected teams, a usual occurrence at AFCON. Perhaps all expected contenders rising to the occasion was the surprise, an event that can’t be guaranteed in successive editions of the tournament.

Diaspora-born Players Make Presence Known

About one in three players at AFCON 2025 were born outside their home countries. Only Egypt, Botswana, and South Africa featured teams with all players born at home. The number of diaspora-born players varied across countries, with the most extreme case being Comoros, which had all but one player born outside its shores. Champions Senegal and hosts Morocco had a near-even split, with 57% of their squads born in Senegal and Morocco, respectively. Third-placed Nigeria featured an 82% home-born squad. The specific splits are an indication that where players are born doesn’t necessarily create an advantage, but it shows that more players born outside their parents’ home country are willing to play in their African teams at the highest levels.

Spain-born Brahim Díaz turned down a Spain call-up to play for Morocco, while mercurial 17-year-old Ibrahim Mbaye chose to play for Senegal despite a clear path through the French national youth team system that could have led to playing for France in the near future. Considering the systemic gap between African football and better-developed footballing climes, diaspora-born players are a net positive that helps raise the level of play in competitions like AFCON and subsequently creates a trickle-down effect in terms of inspiring players on the continent, not to mention improving the buy-in of fans in their national teams.