The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has once again paid special tribute to Nigeria's Super Eagles striker, Akor Adams, for his respectful goal celebration during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final. Adams' action honoured DR Congo's iconic superfan, Michel Kuka Mboladinga, who himself was paying tribute to a national hero.
A Celebration of Respect and Heritage
The significant moment occurred after Akor Adams scored Nigeria's second goal in their quarter-final victory against Algeria, often referred to as the Desert Foxes. Instead of a personal celebration, Adams chose to replicate the gesture of Mboladinga, who had captured the hearts of fans across the continent. Mboladinga stood throughout DR Congo's matches at the tournament to honour the memory of the country's former Prime Minister, Patrice Lumumba.
This act of solidarity gained deeper meaning following an incident in the Round of 16. After Algeria eliminated DR Congo, Algerian midfielder Mohamed Amoura was seen mocking Mboladinga's dignified stance by replicating the hand-raise gesture and then falling to the ground. Amoura's action drew widespread criticism from football fans all over Africa, making Adams' subsequent tribute a powerful statement of respect and pan-African unity.
CAF's Official Recognition in the AFCON Storybook
CAF's latest honour for Adams came as the continental football body curated a visual "storybook" of defining moments from AFCON 2025 on its official Instagram page ahead of the semi-finals. The collection, captioned "Our AFCON 2025 very own storybook so far," featured Adams' celebration as a key highlight.
Within this narrative, CAF assigned symbolic themes to pivotal images:
- Stanley Nwabali's celebration after beating Tunisia represented 'belief'.
- Victor Osimhen hugging Raphael Onyedika during the win over Uganda defined 'emotion'.
- Akor Adams' tribute was powerfully categorized as representing African 'heritage'.
- The Super Eagles' entrance scenes were noted for bringing a 'different' vibe to the tournament.
CAF explicitly noted that Adams' gesture, which went beyond his on-pitch performances, earned him significant recognition for embodying the spirit of respect.
Semi-Final Context: Nigeria vs. Morocco
This recognition comes as the Super Eagles prepare for a high-stakes semi-final clash. As confirmed by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Nigeria will face the Atlas Lions of Morocco at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at 9 p.m.
CAF's preview of the match notes that both teams enter with distinct mindsets. Morocco is riding a wave of history and home advantage, seeking its first African crown in 50 years. This marks their first semi-final appearance in 22 years, and they heavily rely on their home crowd to propel them to a second continental title.
Conversely, Nigeria is on a mission of redemption. Having lost the AFCON 2023 final and not won the title since 2013, the Super Eagles are desperate to return to the summit of African football. The team also aims to win the trophy to appease Nigerian supporters after the painful failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Team news ahead of the semi-final confirms a significant blow for Nigeria: Captain Wilfred Ndidi is suspended for the crucial match after accumulating yellow cards in both the Round of 16 and quarter-final matches. CAF has formally notified the NFF of this suspension.
