Three key players from Nigeria's Super Eagles have earned a prestigious spot in the official Best Eleven for the Round of 16 at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. This recognition follows the team's dominant 4-0 victory over Mozambique, which was the most impressive result of the knockout stage so far.
Super Eagles Trio Shine in Statistical Team of the Round
The football statistics platform Sofascore included the Nigerian trio of Ademola Lookman, Calvin Bassey, and Akor Adams in its elite lineup for the last 16, which covered matches played between January 2 and 6, 2026. Their inclusion underscores Nigeria's powerful performance as they humiliated tournament debutants Mozambique.
Ademola Lookman was the standout performer, earning a rare perfect 10.0 match rating. The Atalanta forward was named Man of the Match after scoring one goal and providing two assists in the rout. His tournament form has been exceptional, with three goals and four assists in just three matches, putting him ahead of stars like Mohamed Salah in the race for the tournament's best player award.
Calvin Bassey secured his place by anchoring a defense that kept its first clean sheet of the competition. He received a solid rating of 7.6 despite a late yellow card. Akor Adams also made the cut with a stellar 9.2 rating after netting his first-ever AFCON goal and contributing two assists during the match.
Notable Omissions and Continental Heavyweights Advance
Surprisingly, there was no place in the Best XI for striker Victor Osimhen, who scored a brace against Mozambique. Super Eagles midfield maestro Alex Iwobi was also overlooked, as were other top performers like Morocco's Abdessamad Ezzalzouli and Senegal's Sadio Mane.
The completion of the Round of 16 has set up a quarter-final stage packed with African football giants. Algeria, Egypt, Cameroon, and defending champions Cote d'Ivoire have all progressed, meaning the last eight features past winners with a combined 22 titles, with Mali being the only exception.
The Nigerian team now prepares for a massive quarter-final clash against Algeria, with CAF already alerting them that three players are on suspension watch. The Super Eagles will need their Best XI stars to maintain their brilliant form if they are to continue their journey towards a fourth continental crown.
