Six players to watch for Afcon 2025

Di 35th edition of Africa Cup of Nations go begin for Morocco for 21 December, 2025 wit di final to hold for Rabat for 18 January, 2025.

Di hosts go dey look to lift di trophy for di first time since 1976, while Mohamed Salah go get chance to put im future for Liverpool to di back of im mind as e aim to deliva Egypt first title since 2010.

Among a host of big names, BBC dey give you profiles of six players wey you fit keep your eye on.

Azzedine Ounahi (midfielder, Morocco)

Wit captain and reigning African footballer of di year Achraf Hakimi facing a race to be fit for di finals, di hosts fit need to find inspiration from elsewhere.

Real Madrid playmaker Brahim Diaz na top scorer for di qualifying wit seven goals, but Azzedine Ounahi, wey pull di strings for di Atlas Lions' midfield, na di man many Moroccans dey hope make e shine.

A product of di kontri popular Mohammed VI Academy, Ounahi endure a frustrating time for Marseille afta e move to di Stade Velodrome on di back of im impressive displays for di 2022 Fifa World Cup.

Howeva, di 25-year-old don rediscova some of im best form since moving to La Liga side Girona for August.

Morocco, wey go face Comoros, Mali and Zambia for Group A, no dey short of leaders in oda areas of di pitch - as dem dey also boast of di continent top goalkeeper, Yassine Bonou and experienced striker Youssef En-Nesyri.

But Ounahi fit be di one to step up if Hakimi dey ruled out?

Mohamed Amoura (striker, Algeria)

Africa top scorer for World Cup qualifying, 2025 so far na Amoura year.

Di Wolfsburg striker don bag 11 goals in eight games for im kontri since March, including a hat-trick against Mozambique.

Dat fine form don help establish di 25-year-old as first choice for Les Verts.

Riyad Mahrez na still di main man for di 2019 champions, but e don build up a close understanding wit im team-mate.

Amoura fit only stand 5 foot 7 inches tall, but Group E opponents Sudan, Burkina Faso and Equatorial Guinea gatz dey aware say di Wolfsburg man remain a threat for air.

Victor Osimhem (striker, Nigeria)

An obvious choice, but Nigeria fortunes appear closely tied to di availability and form of di Galatasaray striker.

Di Super Eagles only take four points from a possible 15 wen di 26-year-old dey absent during dia ultimately unsuccessful 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign.

Osimhen dey important to di side play under boss Eric Chelle, and Nigeria lose dia way for di World Cup play-off against DR Congo wen dem force am off for half-time.

Described by team-mate Frank Onyeka as pesin wey "on anoda level", Osimhen form go dey important if Nigeria go fit improve on dia runners-up finish last time out for Ivory Coast.

Di three-time winners begin against Tanzania for Group C, wit further games against Uganda and 2004 champions Tunisia.

Ibrahim Mbaye (forward, Senegal)

Sadio Mane remain di di great talisman for di winners of di 2021 Afcon, while Iliman Ndiaye and Ismaila Sarr na di current Premier League stars wey dey help form a formidable attacking trio.

But di footballing world fit see a glimpse of a future Teranga Lions star for di shape of Ibrahim Mbaye for Group D against Botswana, DR Congo and Benin.

A former France youth international, di teenager enta into senior action by Paris St-Germain dis season, starting di Champions League win ova Barcelona afta beginning di campaign wit a substitute for dia European Super Cup win ova Tottenham.

Mbaye make im Senegal debut against Brazil last month, and days later become di kontri youngest eva goalscorer at di age of 17 years and 298 days wen he e net for di 8-0 win against Kenya.

Rogers Mato (forward, Uganda)

Di Cranes are back to Afcon for di first time since 2019, wen theydem comot for di round of 16, and dey build towards staging di 2027 finals.

Paul Put side finish second for dia World Cup qualifying group, behind Algeria, wit Rogers Mato dia joint-top scorer wit three goals.

Di 22-year-old left winger score two spectacular efforts for dia win ova Mozambique for September and dey for red-hot form for im club side Vardar for di North Macedonian league.

Uganda face tricky tests for Group C against two former champions, Nigeria and Tunisia, either side of an East African derby against 2027 Afcon co-hosts Tanzania.

Di Cranes go need to take dia chances wen e come - and Mato fit dey important for dia bid to make di knockout stage.

Reinildo (defender, Mozambique)

Mozambique travel to North Africa as dem neva previously reach di knockout stage on dia five previous appearances for Afcon.

But, for di veri first time, dem boast of a Premier League player for dia ranks afta Reinildo become di first Mozambican to appear for di English top flight afta joining Sunderland from Atletico Madrid in July.

Playing at left-back, di 31-year-old don help di promoted Black Cats begin dia season wit a bang, and dey earmarked as di Mambas' key man by di kontri all-time top scorer Tico Tico.

"E dey veri brave, e get evrione togeda and e show di determination wey help di team achieve good results," e tell BBC Sport Africa.

With holders Ivory Coast and heavyweights Cameroon for Group F alongside Gabon, Reinildo and Mozambique go gatz be at dia best to make history.