The journey ended for the Super Eagles of Nigeria on Wednesday after they were defeated by host nation Morocco in the semi-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Despite the heartbreak, Nigeria’s outing at the tournament has been widely described as commendable and record-breaking, with the Super Eagles emerging as one of the most impressive teams in Africa, boasting some of the tournament’s most effective attackers and strikers.
The Eagles finished as the competition’s top scorers, netting eight goals in the group stage, four in the knockout round, and two in the quarter-final.
Eric Chelle’s men played five matches before the semi-final, dominating most of their encounters. They recorded a 2–1 victory over Tanzania, defeated Tunisia 3–2, and beat Uganda 3–1 in the group stage. Nigeria then knocked out Mozambique with a convincing 4–0 win before edging past Algeria 2–0 in the quarter-final.
The team’s recent resurgence has been viewed as a major positive, especially following years of inconsistent performances at major tournaments.
Recall that Nigeria crashed out in the round of 16 at the 2021 AFCON after a loss to Tunisia. At the 2023 edition in Côte d’Ivoire, the Super Eagles, under José Peseiro, reached the final but were beaten by the host nation.
That defeat sparked widespread criticism back home, with midfielder Alex Iwobi reportedly deactivating some of his social media accounts following backlash from fans.
Disappointment among supporters deepened after Nigeria’s struggles in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, leading some fans to lose faith in the national team.
However, hopes were rekindled at the 2025 AFCON, as the three-time African champions looked poised to reclaim continental glory for the first time since 2013. Those dreams were dashed on Wednesday night after Nigeria lost 4–2 on penalties to Morocco following a goalless 120 minutes.
The Super Eagles will now face Egypt in the third-place playoff on Saturday, January 17, 2026.