Four Super Eagles stars are shaping the creative story of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations as Nigeria continue to boost their status as the tournament’s most thrilling attacking side, Soccernet.ng reports.
Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze, Alex Iwobi and Akor Adams all feature prominently on the assist rankings heading into the quarter-finals, with Lookman currently setting the pace as the competition’s top creator.
The Atalanta forward has produced four assists in Nigeria’s first four matches, placing him clear at the top of the leaderboard and ahead of Senegal star Sadio Mané, who has three.
Behind them, Chukwueze, Iwobi and Adams each have two assists, forming a strong Nigerian presence in a list packed with some of the continent’s finest attacking talent.
Their combined influence tells a wider story about Eric Chelle’s side. Nigeria have not only been winning, they have been doing so with pace, imagination and ruthless efficiency in the final third.
The Super Eagles are the tournament’s top scorers with 12 goals; a total built steadily and impressively across four matches. They began by scoring twice against Tanzania, followed with three against Tunisia, added another three versus Uganda, and then produced their most dominant display in a 4–0 demolition of Mozambique in the round of 16.
That haul already equals Nigeria’s best-ever scoring record at a single Africa Cup of Nations, which was set in 2000, when the Eagles reached the final on home soil before losing on penalties to Cameroon. One more goal in this year’s competition will see the Super Eagles surpass that mark.
The numbers are striking, but the manner of Nigeria’s play has been just as impressive. The team’s goals have come from quick transitions, clever movement between the lines, and a growing understanding among their forwards, with Lookman, Chukwueze, Iwobi, Adams and star forward Victor Osimhen at the heart of nearly everything dangerous they create.
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Algeria await Super Eagles in Marrakesh as best attack meets best defence
Nigeria’s next test, however, promises to be their toughest yet.
The Super Eagles will face Algeria in the quarter-final on January 10 at the Marrakesh Stadium, in a showdown that pits the competition’s most explosive attack against its most stubborn defence. While Nigeria have scored 12 times, Algeria have conceded just once in four matches.
The fixture was confirmed on Monday night after Algeria edged past DR Congo 1–0 after extra time, with Adil Boulbina striking a thunderous late winner in a match that had seemed destined for penalties. The previous day, Nigeria had swept aside Mozambique 4–0 to book their own place in the last eight.
Both sides arrive in Marrakesh with perfect records, making the tie one of the standout matches of the tournament so far.
There is also history between them. The last time Nigeria met Algeria at the Africa Cup of Nations was in 2019, when a late Riyad Mahrez free-kick sent the Desert Foxes into the final, a competition they would go on to win.
This time, the narrative feels different. Nigeria look freer, sharper and more varied in attack, while Algeria have built their campaign on control and defensive discipline.
The winner will face either Morocco or Cameroon in the semi-final, while other quarter-final ties include Mali vs Senegal and Egypt vs Côte d’Ivoire.
Top assist providers at AFCON 2025 (ahead of the quarter-finals)
- Ademola Lookman (Nigeria) – 4
- Sadio Mané (Senegal) – 3
- Samuel Chukwueze (Nigeria) – 2
- Christopher Operi (Ivory Coast) – 2
- Azzedine Ounahi (Morocco) – 2
- Alex Iwobi (Nigeria) – 2
- Akor Adams (Nigeria) – 2
- Hannibal Mejbri (Tunisia) – 2
- Lyle Foster (South Africa) – 2
- Novatus Miroshi (Tanzania) – 2
- Anis Hadj Moussa (Algeria) – 2
- Dango Ouattara (Burkina Faso) – 2
