Former Djibouti Coach Tips Nigeria Over Morocco Ahead of AFCON 2025 Semi-final
Nigeria’s growing status as the most feared team at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations has received a major boost after former Djibouti coach Julien Mette described the Super Eagles as superior to hosts Morocco ahead of Wednesday’s semi-final in Rabat.
The three-time African champions will face Morocco at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, with both teams still unbeaten in the tournament. However, recent performances and attacking numbers appear to favour Nigeria.
Morocco, backed by their home fans, have recorded four wins and one draw so far. Their most convincing result came in the quarter-finals, where they beat Cameroon 2–0. Even so, many observers believe their biggest challenge is still to come.
Nigeria arrive in Rabat as the most dangerous attacking side at the tournament. The Super Eagles have scored a competition-high and national record 14 goals in five matches, winning all their games against Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Mozambique and Algeria. No other team has maintained a perfect record.
Their 2–0 victory over Algeria in the quarter-finals stood out. Nigeria controlled the game from start to finish, created several chances and limited Algeria to no shots on target. The scoreline could have been much wider.
Following that display, concerns have begun to grow among some Moroccan fans ahead of the semi-final. Julien Mette, who had earlier tipped Morocco to win the tournament, has now changed his view.
Speaking as a pundit, Mette said: “Offensively, Nigeria is superior to Morocco. On the Moroccan side, there’s Brahim Diaz emerging, but if he goes out… Nigeria is capable of doing everything, killing you on the break, in structured attack, on set pieces.”
He added: “There is no team equivalent to Nigeria in terms of athletic data, strength, combativeness in duels. We’re going to have to beat them in the other areas.”
The semi-final is rich in history. Nigeria are chasing a fourth AFCON title, while Morocco are aiming to lift the trophy for the first time since 1976. This will be the sixth AFCON meeting between both sides and their first in 22 years. All previous five encounters at the tournament produced a winner.
They last met in an AFCON semi-final in 1980, when Nigeria won 1–0 on their way to the title. With history and form on Nigeria’s side, the Super Eagles head into Wednesday’s clash full of confidence.
