Obi Mikel names four Nigerian players impressing him at AFCON 2025
Former Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel has praised four Nigerian players for their outstanding performance at the ongoing 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. Nigeria currently leads the tournament with 12 goals—the highest scoring rate—and has reached the quarterfinals where they face Algeria on Saturday.
Mikel specifically named Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Wilfred Ndidi, and Alex Iwobi as standouts. Osimhen and Lookman have scored six of the 12 goals combined, with Osimhen's brace against Mozambique putting him just three goals shy of Rashidi Yekini's 28-year-old record as Nigeria's all-time top scorer. The seven other goals were shared across Raphael Onyedika, Paul Onuachu, Akor Adams, and Semi Ajayi.
This marks a dramatic shift from the 2023 AFCON where Nigeria played defensively under Jose Peseiro. Mikel, speaking on The Obi One podcast, said Osimhen and Lookman are "completely on fire," while Iwobi has finally delivered the performance fans have waited for—controlling tempo, creating chances, and delivering precise passes. Ndidi, as captain, keeps the team balanced.
With Nigeria positioned as tournament favorites, the quarterfinal against Algeria represents a critical test. The team's attacking firepower has been unmatched so far, but defensive discipline remains key against strong opposition.
Will this be Nigeria's year to claim their fourth AFCON title, or will the quarterfinal showdown with Algeria expose vulnerabilities in their free-scoring but potentially open style?