Manchester City and Barcelona great Yaya Toure has named Nigeria’s Super Eagles as the most impressive side he watched at the recently concluded 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.
Nigeria suffered a heartbreak at the semi-final stage after a tense penalty shootout defeat to the hosts, Morocco. It was a rare off day in an otherwise commanding tournament run for the Super Eagles, who had grown stronger with each outing.
Aside from that semi-final, Nigeria were widely regarded as the competition’s most dominant force. They swept past strong opposition, including Tunisia, Mozambique, Algeria, and Egypt (in the third-place match) with a level of control and attacking confidence that set them apart.
Against Algeria’s Fennec Foxes, the Super Eagles were so authoritative that their opponents failed to fashion a single clear-cut chance.
By the quarter-final stage, Nigeria had already scored 14 goals, more than any other team in the tournament. Their blend of tactical discipline and relentless forward play made them one of the most watchable sides at AFCON 2025.
After the final whistle in Morocco, Toure, a legend of both Manchester City and Barcelona, was asked to single out the best team he had seen. Despite giving credit to his native Ivory Coast, the former midfielder made it clear where his admiration lay.
“I was impressed with Nigeria, they played good football. When you see the stats, they’ve been scoring more than usual goals, full attack, very good football,” Toure said.
“The most impressive for me was Nigeria. The football they were playing, the goals they were scoring, and the players were winning.
“They had two CAF Players of the Year, they played such wonderful games, but they were kicked out by Morocco.”
Nigeria’s showing came as a surprise to many observers. Heading into the tournament, expectations were muted following a run of inconsistent results. Yet the Super Eagles found their rhythm in Morocco.
