The new King of Africa? Super Eagles forward crowned highest-rated player at AFCON 2025

After years of waiting for a hero to emerge, Nigeria and the Super Eagles may have finally found their saviour.

Ademola Lookman has seized AFCON 2025 by the scruff of the neck, delivering performances that have elevated him above Africa's most celebrated stars and reignited belief that the Super Eagles can end their agonising 14-year wait for continental glory.

While Mohamed Salah and Riyad Mahrez typically command the spotlight at African football's grandest stage, this tournament belongs to a different protagonist.

The Atalanta forward has shattered expectations, posting an extraordinary 8.36 average rating through the group stage, a figure that towers over the continent's elite and signals the arrival of Nigeria's long-awaited talisman.

What makes Lookman's achievement even more remarkable is that he accomplished it in just two appearances.

Strategic rest against Uganda, designed to avoid suspension, couldn't diminish his impact. In 179 electrifying minutes against Tanzania and Tunisia, the 28-year-old was simply unstoppable.

His numbers paint the picture of a player operating at peak performance: two goals, two assists, six chances created, three key passes, and two big chances created.

With perfect passing accuracy in his own half and a clinical 33% shot conversion rate, Lookman has become the devastating focal point of Eric Chelle's tactical blueprint.

The statistical hierarchy tells its own story. Lookman sits atop WhoScored's prestigious leaderboard at 8.36, with Algeria's Mahrez trailing at 8.02.

Fellow Nigerian Samuel Chukwueze occupies third with 7.92, while Egypt's Salah, often considered Africa's greatest current player, ranks fourth at 7.85. Ivory Coast's Amad Diallo rounds out the top five at 7.73.

This isn't just about individual accolades. For a nation that last tasted AFCON success in 2013, Lookman represents something profound: hope. His performances have galvanised a fanbase weary of near-misses and unfulfilled potential.

With Mozambique awaiting in the knockout rounds, the pressure intensifies. Lookman has already matched his entire output from his 2023 AFCON debut, but the Mambas present a fresh challenge. Can he maintain this otherworldly form when elimination looms?

For Nigeria's millions of passionate supporters, the answer matters deeply. In Lookman, they've discovered not just their tournament's best player, but perhaps the key to unlocking a trophy cabinet that's remained closed for far too long.

The crown is his, now comes the true test of wearing it.