The 2025 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) has lived up to expectations, with numerous countries demonstrating strong and impressive performances thus far.
Celebrating victories was much easier during the group stage, which witnessed a total of 87 goals scored.
As the tournament progressed to the round of 16, the competing teams became more focused and committed fewer errors.
As a result, only 22 goals were scored in total during this phase.
Currently, eight teams remain in contention for the trophy. In the latter stages of the matches, several players showcased outstanding performances that helped their nations advance to the quarterfinals.
Sportskeeda has highlighted the top five players who excelled in the AFCON 2025 round of 16, with Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman being recognized as the standout player of the tournament thus far.
Real Madrid’s Brahim Diaz ranks fifth, Egypt’s Yasser Ibrahim is in fourth place, Manchester United’s Amad Diallo from Ivory Coast holds the third position, Senegal’s Papa Gueye is second, and Lookman is regarded as the best overall.
Diaz has consistently aided Morocco in challenging situations. The Real Madrid player netted the only goal of the match, effectively ending Tanzania’s hopes in the AFCON 2025.
Diaz has scored in every game he has participated in during the tournament and currently stands as the leading goal scorer in AFCON 2025.
For Egyptian player Ibrahim, he emerged as a key performer during the round of 16 in the African Cup of Nations.
The defender excelled in his defensive duties as Egypt triumphed 3-1 over Benin Republic in extra time. He also scored the goal that gave Egypt the lead in their match against Benin, clinching victory in the 97th minute.
Ivory Coast’s Amad Diallo contributed to his country’s 3-0 victory against Burkina Faso by scoring the opening goal and assisting on the second. This performance has positioned him as one of the tournament's leading goal scorers, with three goals already to his name.
Papa Gueye from Senegal scored two goals, helping his team recover from a challenging start and leading Senegal to a 3-1 victory over Sudan in the round of 16.
Ademola Lookman from Nigeria was arguably the best player in the recently concluded matches.
The winger dominated the attacking play by scoring Nigeria’s first goal against Mozambique in the 20th minute.
He also provided two assists, one in the 47th minute and another in the 75th minute. This performance has established him as the top player in AFCON 2025 with the highest number of assists, totaling four.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the current status of the AFCON 2025 tournament?
The tournament has progressed to the round of 16, with eight teams still competing for the trophy.
Who are the top players in the AFCON 2025 round of 16?
The top players include Ademola Lookman (Nigeria), Papa Gueye (Senegal), Amad Diallo (Ivory Coast), Yasser Ibrahim (Egypt), and Brahim Diaz (Morocco).
What notable performances were observed in the tournament?
Players like Lookman, Diallo, and Diaz showcased outstanding skills, contributing significantly to their teams' success in the tournament.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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