The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) group stage in Morocco was arguably one of the most thrilling opening phases in the tournament’s history.
The net was rarely still during the first 36 matches. A total of 87 goals were scored with Riyad Mahrez (Algeria), Ayoub El Kaabi, and Brahim DÃaz (both Morocco) all netting 3 goals each.
Meanwhile, Nigeria and Algeria were the only teams to finish with a perfect 9 points.
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On Friday, the Confederation of Africa Football CAF, released the team of the Group Stage – a star-studded side that has seen the likes of Ayoub El Kaabi miss out despite impressing particularly with two bicycle kicks.
AFCON 2025 Group Stage Best XI
Goalkeeper
Mohamed El Shenawy ( Egypt)
Veteran custodian was named the best goalkeeper and rightfully so.
At 37,he was the only goalkeeper in the group stage to be officially named Man of the Match by CAF producing an electric performance after Egypt went down to 10 men following Mohamed Hany’s red card before halftime in the match against South Africa.
El Shenawy made a total of 8 saves in the group stage and captained Egypt to top the Group B Standings.
Right Back -Noussair Mazraoui ( Morocco)
Mazraoui has been a revelation, especially considering he had to fill the shoes of the continent’s top-ranked defender, Achraf Hakimi, for much of the group stage.
What made Mazraoui stand out was his ability to dominate both flanks. He started the tournament as a right-back but was deployed as an inverted left-back in the final group match against Zambia, looking equally comfortable in both roles.
He ranked joint-first among all defenders for Big Chances Created ,providing an assist and second for tackles per game (3) among all full-backs in the tournament.
Left Back – Ali Abdi ( Tunisia)
Abdi recorded 10 tackles in the group stage, ranking him as the 4th best tackler in the entire tournament.
He scored against Nigeria and provided an assist in the match against Uganda.
Centre Backs – Axel Tuanzebe ( DR Congo) and Edmond Tapsoba ( Burkina Faso)
Despite a rocky start where a defensive slip led to a goal against Equatorial Guinea,Tapsoba finished the group stage ranked joint-first among all center-backs for Big Chances Created.
In the opening match against Equatorial Guinea, he scored a 98th-minute winner to seal a 2–1 comeback, earning him the Man of the Match award and guided Burkina Faso to the Round of 16 as Group E winners.
Tuanzebe put on a defensive masterclass against Senegal, recording a game-high 10 clearances.
He was noted by CAF as one of the most reliable defenders of the phase, praised for his aerial duel success rate and his ability to read the game to shut down threats before they entered the box.
Midfielders: Carlos Baleba( Cameroon), Ademola Lookman ( Nigeria) Brahim Diaz ( Morocco)
21-year-old Brighton midfielder Baleba was the tactical revelation of the group stage. Tasked with anchoring the Indomitable Lions’ midfield, he provided a level of athleticism that few could match.
Baleba was praised for his tireless work rate and powerful lung-bursting runs from deep. He acted as the shield for Cameroon’s defense, allowing their attackers more freedom and showed a lot of maturity on the ball despite his age.
Ademola Lookman was officially the highest-rated player of the group stage.
He was the creative heart of a Super Eagles attack that was the most lethal in the tournament.
In just two appearances, he recorded two goals and two assists.
His standout performance came in the 3–2 win over Tunisia, where he provided both assists for the opening two goals before scoring the winner himself.
Brahim Diaz playing in his first AFCON on home soil,lived up to every bit of the hype. He became the first Moroccan player since 1976 to score in every single group stage match finishing the group stage as the joint top-scorer with three goals.
Forwards: Riyad Mahrez ( Algeria) Amad Diallo ( Ivory Coast) Sadio Mane ( Senegal)
Mahrez finished the group stage with 3 goals, including a masterclass brace in the opening 3–0 win over Sudan.
By scoring against Sudan, he became the oldest player to score an AFCON brace (34 years, 306 days) since 1998.
He was the architect of an Algerian side that finished the group stage with a perfect 9 points, scoring in the first two matches to secure early qualification
Amad Diallo stepped up for the defending champions scoring the decisive goal in a rainy 1–0 opener against Mozambique, earning the Man of the Match award.
He followed up with a terrific curled effort in the 1–1 draw against Cameroon once again bagging the man of the match award.
Sadio Mane
At 33, Mane netted his 51st international goal during the hard-fought 1–1 draw against DR Congo, ensuring Senegal stayed top of Group D.
He remained the leader of a Senegal side that stayed unbeaten through the group phase proving why he is still the Lions of Teranga’s Talisman.
The knockout phase of the 2025 AFCON in Morocco begins tomorrow, January 3, with two matches scheduled per day across four different cities.
Senegal will face Sudan on Saturday as Mali battle against Tunisia.