AFCON 2025: Nigeria wins bronze, player says playing right-back ‘felt like death’
Nigeria’s Super Eagles secured the bronze medal at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations with a 4-2 penalty shootout victory over Egypt in the third-place playoff on Saturday. The match followed Nigeria’s 4-2 penalty loss to Morocco in the semi-final on Wednesday. Lazio midfielder Fisayo Dele-Bashiru was deployed as a right-back after Bright Osayi-Samuel’s injury, a role he described as intensely demanding. “I was dead,” he said, admitting the constant running made him appreciate specialist right-backs. He praised the team’s versatility and resolved fighting spirit, expressing relief at the win despite the emotional toll. Senegal and Morocco will contest the final on Sunday. Nigeria’s third-place finish follows years of intense national expectations for the Super Eagles at major tournaments.