Yaya Touré Names Super Eagles AFCON 2025’s Most Impressive Side

Manchester City great Yaya Touré has hailed Nigeria’s Super Eagles as the standout team of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, despite their failure to reach the final of the tournament in Morocco.

Nigeria were eliminated in the semi-finals after a penalty shootout defeat to host nation Morocco, bringing an end to an otherwise commanding campaign.

It was the Super Eagles’ only subdued outing, having imposed themselves convincingly in their earlier matches.

The West Africans grew stronger with each game, recording dominant wins over Tunisia, Mozambique and Algeria, and showcasing an attacking brand of football that few teams at the tournament could match.

Their performance against Algeria was particularly eye-catching, as the Fennec Foxes were largely neutralised and struggled to create meaningful chances.

By the end of the quarter-finals, Nigeria had scored 14 goals, the highest total in the competition at that stage, highlighting their attacking potency and tactical cohesion.

Reflecting on the tournament, Touré, an Ivory Coast legend, admitted admiration for several teams but singled out Nigeria as the most impressive.

“Nigeria impressed me the most,” Touré said. “They played very good football, scored many goals and showed quality all over the pitch. For me, they were the best team to watch at the tournament.”

The former Barcelona and Manchester City midfielder added that Nigeria’s blend of structure and flair set them apart, even though their campaign ended short of the final.

Nigeria arrived at AFCON 2025 with limited expectations following mixed results before the competition.

However, their performances in Morocco have renewed belief among supporters, with attention now shifting to the next Africa Cup of Nations, where the Super Eagles will be aiming to turn promise into silverware.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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