By Boris Esono
Football Writer, Kick442.com-Cameroon
Former Liverpool, Rennes and Rangers player El Hadj Diouf has thrown his weight behind host Morocco as the number one favourite to win the Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON on home soil.
The former African Footballer of the Year in 2001 and 2002 and Senegal football legend believes with home support, the Atlas Lions can go all the way and claim their second title in their history.
El Hadj Diouf said after the draw for the competition was conducted on Monday: “Today, the No1 favourite is Morocco.”
Morocco’s football has been on an upward trajectory in recent years, marked by their 2022 World Cup heroics, where they became the first African nation to reach the semi-finals. Under the guidance of coach Walid Regragui, the team has maintained its competitive edge, blending young talent with seasoned stars like Achraf Hakimi, Hakim Ziyech, and Youssef En-Nesyri.
As hosts of the tournament, Morocco will also benefit from familiar conditions, including world-class stadiums and a passionate home crowd expected to fill venues in cities like Rabat, Casablanca, and Marrakech.
El Hadj Diouf, who played a key role in Senegal’s memorable run to the 2002 World Cup quarter-finals, losing 1-0 to Turkey sees his country with the second-best chance of winning the AFCON. The Teranga Lions won their only title to date back in 2021.
While Morocco has emerged as favourites in Diouf’s eyes, the road to the AFCON 2025 crown will be anything but easy. Powerhouses like Senegal, the defending champions, Côte d’Ivoire, Algeria, and Nigeria are also gearing up to stake their claim for the coveted title.
“Number 2 favourite is Senegal,” Diouf said. “Why not Egypt, why not Cameroon as usual and Algeria? But then there will be outsiders perhaps the Coast d’Ivoire will be among the outsiders.”
The 2025 edition of the AFCON is set to get underway on December 21, 2025 and conclude on January 18, 2026, with the host Morocco drawn in Group A. The Atlas Lions will clash with Mali, Zambia and Comoros. Morocco will win the competition going against Comoros.
For Senegal, the Teranga Lions will clash against DR Congo, Benin and Botswana in Group D. Senegal is seen as the favourite in the group which they are expected to win.
The endorsement from Diouf, the 2002 BBC African Footballer of the Year, adds to the mounting expectations on the Atlas Lions to deliver on home soil. Whether they can live up to the billing remains to be seen, but the Atlas Lions are expected to give their all for a shot at the title.
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