Nigeria vs Tunisia: A deep-dive into the AFCON 2025 Group C decider

The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) remains one of the most revered continental tournaments in the world, and the group stages consistently offer compelling narratives, as seen in the dramatic 2023 edition, where hosts Ivory Coast were almost knocked out before going on to win the tournament.

One of the highlights of the 2025 Group stage is expected to be the match between Nigeria and Tunisia, which could determine the outcome of AFCON 2025 Group C.

These two titans of African football, grouped with Tanzania and Uganda in Group C, have a long history, and their rivalry ensures a delicious match. The Carthage Eagles want to return to their former glory, while the Super Eagles come into the tournament as runners-up from the previous year.

Group C contains four nations, but Nigeria and Tunisia understandably remain the top two attractions. Tanzania and Uganda continue to grow, yet the two heavyweights carry years of experience that shape expectations long before a ball is kicked.

The outcome of this game is likely to set the tone for the group, shaping who finishes at the summit and who enjoys the easier route into the knockout rounds. Those small margins matter at AFCON, as finishing first often spares a top side the early clash with another giant.

Nigeria’s tournament pedigree speaks for itself. Champions in 1980, 1994, and 2013, and with more overall medals than any other team, the Super Eagles are among the favourites for the whole tournament.

Tunisia, crowned champions in 2004 after beating Nigeria in the semifinal, approach the competition with their own legacy, having never missed an edition for nearly two decades.

The qualification journeys of the two giants reveal two sides that handled their assignments differently, yet both found their way to Morocco.

Nigeria came through Group D alongside Benin Republic, Rwanda, and Libya. The Super Eagles booked qualification one match early, powered by an attack that featured top names and a defence that kept three clean sheets in five games.

Tunisia’s path through Group A of the qualifiers, featuring Comoros, Gambia, and Madagascar, demanded a bit more grit.

The Carthage Eagles finished second behind Comoros, collecting three victories, a draw, and two defeats along the way.

Both Nigeria and Tunisia arrive at AFCON 2025 with mixed recent results.

In their last five official games, Nigeria has defeated Gabon 4-1 in the World Cup Qualification, Lesotho 2-1 on the road, and Benin Republic 4-0.

However, Nigeria's World Cup hopes were dashed when their most recent game, the World Cup Playoff Final on November 16, 2025, ended in a 1-1 draw against DR Congo, with the Super Eagles losing 3-4 on penalties.

On the other hand, Tunisia have shown good form, notably recording a recent 1-1 friendly draw against Brazil, showing their quality against world-class opposition.

Their recent run also includes a 3-2 friendly win over Jordan and a 1-1 friendly draw with Mauritania. Unlike Nigeria, Tunisia finished top of their CAF World Cup qualifying group by winning nine of their 10 matches and scoring 22 goals without conceding a single one.

A match of this magnitude inevitably turns on the performances of star players. Both sides boast world-class talent, capable of turning a match in an instant.

Nigeria’s attack is spearheaded by Victor Osimhen, the continent’s most lethal forward, who is a menace to any defence.

The Super Eagles rely heavily on his goals as seen during the World Cup qualifiers, where Osimhen scored eight of Nigeria’s 20 goals despite missing five games.

On the club scene, Osimhen has broken several significant records, as reported by PulseSports Nigeria, including becoming the first African player to win the Italian Serie A Capocannoniere and the highest African goal-scorer of all time in that league.

He recently became the highest-scoring foreign player in a single season for his current Turkish club, Galatasaray, as well as becoming the first player in the club’s history to score in eight consecutive European competition fixtures.

Supporting Osimhen will be Atalanta’s Ademola Lookman, who has enjoyed immense success at club and international level. Lookman was deservedly named the CAF Men's Player of the Year in 2024, succeeding his compatriot Osimhen.

This recognition followed an outstanding year in which he scored a historic hat-trick in the UEFA Europa League final for Atalanta, securing the trophy against Bayer Leverkusen.

His creativity and direct running on the flank were also instrumental in Nigeria’s run to the previous AFCON final. Lookman's ability to create and finish chances makes him a critical component of the Nigerian offensive unit.

The engine room for Tunisia rests on the shoulders of Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane. The Al Ahly midfielder provides Tunisia’s energy and defensive cover, which enables the attack to flourish.

His composure on the ball and tactical discipline are vital for controlling the Carthage Eagles’ midfield tempo.

Meanwhile, ex-Manchester United star Hannibal Mejbri offers a significant spark of flair and technical quality.

The young playmaker’s vision and unpredictable dribbling pose a severe threat to the Super Eagles, as he offers creativity needed to break down the Nigerian defence.

Previous meetings between these two nations have provided dramatic encounters, making the latest instalment of Nigeria vs Tunisia a crucial fixture.

One of the most memorable matches was the 2004 AFCON semifinal, hosted by Tunisia, where Nigeria’s Jay-Jay Okocha opened the scoring from the penalty spot, only for Tunisia’s Khaled Badra to equalise with a penalty of his own late in the game.

The hosts eventually won on penalties, leaving a lasting feeling of disappointment for the Super Eagles, who were among the favourites to win the title that year.

More recently, the 2021 AFCON Round of 16 delivered another upset, as Nigeria had swept their group with a perfect record, while Tunisia struggled in the group phase, qualifying as one of the best third-placed teams.

Against all odds, a solitary second-half goal from Youssef Msakni secured a 1-0 victory for the Carthage Eagles.

Overall, Nigeria and Tunisia have done battle 19 times, with the two sides tied on six wins each, with seven draws between them.

Tunisia look compact, well-drilled, and mentally prepared for the demands of the 2025 AFCON, however, Nigeria possess the superior attack, driven by two of Africa’s finest forwards despite the shadows of recent setbacks.

On balance, Tunisia seem slightly more settled in their rhythm heading into Morocco. A narrow 1–0 win for the Carthage Eagles feels possible, although the contest carries the sort of volatility that makes predictions tricky.