AFCON 2025: Ex-Premier League star tips Super Eagles over host nation, Senegal

Former Kenya captain Victor Wanyama has tipped the Super Eagles to win the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2025), even while acknowledging the strength of the hosts. 

Speaking to BR Football ahead of the tournament, Wanyama weighed Nigeria against Morocco and came down narrowly in favour of the three-time champions. “I think Morocco has the edge,” he said, “but I’ll go Nigeria.”

That endorsement lands on a significant day. Nigeria open their AFCON 2025 campaign today, carrying the weight of unfinished business from the last edition. The Super Eagles reached the final in Côte d’Ivoire and left with silver, beaten by the hosts after a tournament that promised more. 

Victor Wanyama predicts trophy winners for 2026 🔮 pic.twitter.com/uChLddXUZv

— B/R Football (@brfootball) December 22, 2025

That run, combined with the subsequent failure to secure a World Cup ticket, has sharpened the edge around this squad. There is a sense that Morocco offers a chance to settle accounts.

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Nigeria’s strength still lies in continuity. Much of the core that carried the team to the final remains intact, with Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey again central to the plan. 

Eric Chelle arrives at AFCON 2025 with a reputation built on tournament football. The Franco-Malian guided Mali to the quarter-finals at the last AFCON and has yet to taste defeat in an official match since taking charge of the Super Eagles. That steadiness has filtered into his selection, which leans heavily on players familiar with the demands of the competition.

Nigeria’s challenge is less about potential and more about execution. The squad understands the rhythms of a long tournament, the narrow margins, and the importance of managing moments.