Nigeria, Senegal stars fill AFCON 2025 Best XI as Salah misses out

Nigeria and Senegal provided the bulk of selections in the AFCON 2025 Team of the Tournament, underlining their strong campaigns, while Egypt’s talisman Mohamed Salah was notably excluded. The Best XI was released after the competition wrapped up earlier this week.

Several Super Eagles players were rewarded following Nigeria’s bronze-medal finish, with Senegal also earning multiple spots thanks to their tactical discipline and consistency. An AFCON technical panel member said the choices were based on “overall impact across the tournament, not isolated moments.”

Salah’s absence sparked debate, but analysts pointed to Egypt’s uneven performances. A former African international noted the selection “favoured influence and teamwork over reputation.”

The final XI reflected the teams that shaped AFCON 2025, highlighting Nigeria and Senegal as the tournament’s standout forces.