4 Super Eagles Players in Hot Race With Salah, Brahim Diaz for AFCON 2025 MVP

Nigeria isn’t just winning at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, they are dominating it. Four consecutive victories have propelled the Super Eagles into the quarter-finals, but beyond the results, Nigeria’s stars are staking serious claims for the tournament’s Most Valuable Player award.

Leading the charge is Ademola Lookman, the Atalanta forward whose electric performances have put him ahead of even African heavyweights like Mohamed Salah, Riyad Mahrez, Sadio Mane, and Brahim Diaz in the race for the AFCON MVP. 

Lookman currently tops WhoScored’s tournament ratings with an astonishing 8.81, a testament to his influence in Morocco. In just three games, he has racked up three goals and four assists, earning two Man-of-the-Match awards and becoming the most decisive player of AFCON 2025 so far. 

Only Real Madrid’s Brahim Diaz has scored more goals, and even then, Lookman trails by just one.

But the Super Eagles’ strength isn’t just about Lookman. Nigeria has four players among WhoScored’s top 10 performers in the tournament:

1. Ademola Lookman – 8.81 rating, 3 goals, 4 assists.
   
2. Victor Osimhen – 7.61 rating, 3 goals, 1 assist.
   
3. Akor Adams – 7.59 rating.
   
4. Wilfred Ndidi – 7.59 rating.
   

This collective brilliance means Nigeria has more MVP candidates than any other country, giving them a unique advantage as they prepare to face Algeria in a high-stakes quarterfinal clash. Algerian talisman Riyad Mahrez ranks eighth, while Morocco’s Brahim Diaz completes the top ten.

Despite topping the charts, Lookman remains grounded. After Nigeria’s 4-0 demolition of Mozambique in the Round of 16, he emphasized that team success comes before individual glory. 

“No. Personally, I’m just thinking about the team winning,” Lookman told CAF Online. “Now we’re in the quarterfinals, and our next opponent will be another strong team.”

The Super Eagles’ dominance is also reflected in the Round of 16 Best XI, where Lookman, Calvin Bassey, and Akor Adams were named among Sofascore’s standout performers.