AFCON 2025: 8 exciting African youngsters waiting to light up Morocco

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) promises to be a showcase for Africa’s most exciting emerging talent, with a wave of youngsters ready to leave their mark in Morocco.

From midfield maestros to dangerous wingers and versatile defenders, these players bring a mix of technical ability, tactical intelligence, and big-game temperament despite their age.

Fans can expect electrifying performances as these young stars aim to establish themselves on the continental stage. With their club experience across Europe and international exposure at youth and senior levels, AFCON 2025 offers the perfect platform to announce their arrival.

Cameroon’s Carlos Baleba is a modern “6” midfielder whose game blends physical power with technical quality.

Comfortable as a holding presence or in a box-to-box role, he combines stamina, ball-carrying ability, and a broad passing range to influence matches across all phases. His close control allows him to escape pressure in tight areas, while his progressive carries regularly shift his team up the pitch.

Developed in Cameroon before refining his game at Lille, Baleba adapted quickly to elite-level football, earning Premier League recognition following his move to Brighton & Hove Albion.

His performances show tactical intelligence beyond his age, particularly in his positioning when screening the defence and timing forward runs. He also carries a growing threat from distance and is capable of decisive long-range strikes.

At international level, he has already established himself as a key figure for Cameroon. Inspired by midfielders such as Paul Pogba and Kevin De Bruyne, Baleba profiles as a high-ceiling midfielder capable of controlling tempo and delivering decisive moments.

Mamadou Doumbia is a highly promising Malian forward who has been likened to Manchester City goal machine Erling Haaland and whose development trajectory suggests a striker built for modern football.

Standing out as a mobile target man, he blends physical strength with intelligent movement, allowing him to operate effectively both as a focal point and a transitional threat.

His ability to link play, protect possession under pressure, and attack space with purpose makes him well-suited to structured attacking systems.

Doumbia’s early career has been defined by strong tournament performances. At the 2023 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations, he scored in four consecutive matches, finished as the second-highest scorer, and earned a place in the tournament’s Best XI.

That form continued at the U-17 World Cup, where his hat-trick against Uzbekistan showcased his composure and finishing variety on the global stage.

Since joining Watford in 2024, Doumbia has begun integrating into senior football, scoring his first Championship goal in April 2025. His international progression mirrors that rise, with a first senior goal during AFCON qualification.

Bilal El Khannouss is a technically gifted attacking midfielder known for his composure in possession and advanced football intelligence.

Born in Belgium and representing Morocco internationally, the 2004-born playmaker operates primarily between the lines, where his close control, agility, and spatial awareness allow him to dictate tempo in tight areas.

His ability to receive on the half-turn and thread defence-splitting passes marks him out as a natural creator rather than a high-volume runner.

El Khannouss developed at Genk after an early spell at Anderlecht, earning senior recognition through maturity well beyond his age.

His former coach’s description of him as having “eyes in his back” is apt, as his scanning habits and anticipation traits were evident during Morocco’s Olympic bronze-medal run in Paris 2024, where he stood out as a star player.

Comfortable in one-on-one situations and capable of arriving late into scoring zones, El Khannouss projects as an attacking midfielder suited to possession-based systems at the highest level.

Tylon Smith, born on 9 May 2005, is a right-footed central defender currently with EFL Championship side Queens Park Rangers.

Developed through Stellenbosch’s system, Smith gained early exposure in the PSL Reserve League, where he played a key role in the club’s 2023/24 title-winning campaign and featured in their Next Gen Cup triumph against Tottenham Hotspur.

His progression was rewarded with a first professional contract in October 2024, followed by a move to QPR in July 2025.

At international level, Smith has emerged as one of South Africa’s most promising defensive talents in recent years.

He played a central role in Amajita’s historic triumph at the 2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations, earning the tournament’s Best Player award, and will be one of the youngsters to make a name at the senior AFCON in Morocco.

Calm under pressure and comfortable in possession, Smith excels at controlling tempo from the back. His decisive goals against Nigeria in the semi-final and Morocco in the final also showed his influence at both ends of the pitch.

Ilias Akhomach is a right winger with a strong grounding in positional football and a clear attacking instinct and clearly one of the best youngsters to watch out for at AFCON 2025. Developed at Barcelona’s academy, he made his senior debut under Xavi in a high-pressure LaLiga derby against Espanyol.

Now at Villarreal, he has continued his progression, contributing goals in both La Liga and European competition, including a notable strike against his former club.

Akhomach operates primarily from the right flank, favouring direct dribbling, sharp acceleration, and quick combinations in the final third.

He shows confidence in one-versus-one situations and regularly looks to create separation through close control rather than pure pace alone. His decision-making has improved with consistent senior minutes, particularly in transition.

Akhomach, a former Spain youth international, has featured at senior and Olympic levels for Morocco. His performances at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where he helped secure a bronze medal, underlined his creative influence and ability to deliver in tournament football.

Relebohile Mofokeng is widely regarded as one of South Africa’s brightest emerging talents, blending composure with advanced technical quality well beyond his age.

Operating primarily as an attacking midfielder or winger, he excels in tight spaces, using close control, sharp changes of direction, and intelligent positioning to destabilise defences. His dribbling is purposeful, often drawing multiple markers before releasing teammates into dangerous areas.

A defining trait of Mofokeng’s profile is his effectiveness in decisive moments. He has repeatedly delivered in high-pressure situations, including domestic cup finals, earning a reputation as a reliable big-game performer.

His movement between the lines and awareness inside the penalty area contribute to consistent end product, whether through goals or assists.

Having progressed smoothly from academy football into senior competition with Orlando Pirates and the South Africa national team, Mofokeng shows strong mental resilience, tactical discipline, and a clear upward trajectory that could launch even further at the 2025 AFCON.

Another exciting youngster waiting to burst onto the scene at AFCON 2025 is Ismael Gharbi. A technically refined attacking midfielder with a strong grounding in elite academy football.

Developed at Paris Saint-Germain after early years at Paris FC, he stood out at youth level for his composure, timing, and decision-making in advanced areas.

Comfortable operating as a central creator, wide midfielder, or deeper playmaker, Gharbi combines close control with an ability to slow the game down around the penalty area. Coaches have consistently pointed to his calmness under pressure, particularly his knack for executing the right actions at decisive moments.

Gharbi carries goal threat through intelligent late runs and set-piece quality, while his vision allows him to create scoring opportunities for teammates with well-weighted passes. His career path through PSG, Lausanne, Braga, and now Augsburg means he is a player gaining experience across leagues.

At international level, his switch to Tunisia after representing both France and Spain has been crucial for the Carthage Eagles, adding creativity and control to midfield, marking him as a long-term option capable of influencing games.

Congolese youngster Noah Junior Sadiki, born 17 December 2004 in Brussels, is a versatile defender capable of operating as a full-back, centre-back, or defensive midfielder, currently plying his trade at Premier League side Sunderland.

A product of the Anderlecht academy, he joined at age six and progressed through all youth levels, impressing under-21 manager Robin Veldman and earning first-team exposure under Vincent Kompany.

Sadiki made a significant step in his career with a move to Union SG in 2023 for €1.4 million before signing a five-year deal with Sunderland in 2025.

Eligible for Belgium, France, and DR Congo, he chose to represent the DR Congo national team, making his senior debut in September 2024. Since then, he has featured 13 times, including a standout display in the CAF 2026 World Cup playoff final against Nigeria.

Known for his defensive awareness, positional flexibility, and composure on the ball, Sadiki is regarded as a rising talent with the potential to make a huge mark at AFCON 2025.