Eredivisie at AFCON: Players to watch from the Dutch top flight in Morocco | OneFootball

The latest edition of the Africa Cup of Nations kicks off on Sunday with hosts Morocco going up against Comoros. As always, there will be representatives from Eredivisie clubs amongst the players hoping for a moment of continental glory. We take a look at who is jetting off to North Africa for the tournament.

Defenders

Adam Nagalo (Burkina Faso and PSV)

23-year-old central defender Adam Nagalo has not played a game for the senior PSV side this season. Last year he played 12 games after making the siwtch from Danish side FC Nordsjaelland. Nagalo has played 14 times for Burkina Faso, with two of these coming during the previous AFCON tournament. His Burkinabe side will be confident of making it out of the group stages, having been drawn against Algeria, Equatorial Guinea and Sudan.

Anass Salah-Eddine (Morocco and PSV)

PSV are the most represented of the Eredivisie clubs at AFCON this year. On loan Roma defender Anass Salah-Eddine joins the Atlas Lions for the tournament off the back of some decent form. The 23-year-old left-back has played 17 games across the Eredivisie and Champions League for PSV and is likely to feature heavily for the hosts during what they hope will be a successful AFCON campaign.

Said Bakari (Comoros and Sparta Rotterdam)

Experienced defender Said Bakari will be hoping that Comoros can spring some more surprises this time around. During their AFCON debut the islanders were one of the more entertaining sides and will look to be the same this time around. Bakari is in his third season with Sparta Rotterdam but has not been able to nail down a starting spot so far this season. However, he will remain a key player for Comoros during the Group Stages.

Midfielders

Ismael Saibari (Morocco and PSV)

One of the best players in the Eredivisie this season, PSV will certainly miss Saibari when he goes off to AFCON. The 24-year-old midfielder has scored 11 goals and provided four assists in just 23 games so far this season. Last year he put up great numbers again with 15 goals and 14 assists in 44 matches. Even with a mid season break for AFCON, Saibari is likely to have his best scoring season of his career by the end of the 2025/2026 season. With PSV on course for another Eredivisie title, Saibari might also be celebrating a home AFCON triumph for Morocco if the Atlas Lions live up to expectations.

Oussama Targhalline (Morocco and Feyenoord)

Another Eredivisie man lining up for the Atlas Lions during the AFCON, Feyenoord midfielder Targhalline has been in decent form domestically. In 18 games he has scored one and provided two assists, a fine return for a defensive midfielder. The former Marseille man, who joined from Le Harve during last seasons winter transfer window, will hope to get more opportunities to add to his seven caps.

Ramiz Zerrouki (Algeria and Twente)

The only player to depart Twente for AFCON will be Zerrouki. He joins an Algerian side that will fancy their chances of upsetting their bitter rivals on home soil. Zerrouki has been in great form for Twente on loan from Feyenoord. Back where he began his career, he has played 17 games with one goal and four assists. The 27-year-old central midfielder got decent minutes during the most recent international break and will hope to force his way into the Fennec Foxes starting XI. Algeria face Sudan, Burkina Faso and Equatorial Guinea

Strikers

Sebastien Haller (Cote d’Ivoire and Utrecht)

Haller had a huge impact at the last AFCON. The former Borussia Dortmund striker scored the winning goal as Les Elephants won their third AFCON title, with this one being extra special as it took place at home. Haller isn’t in great form going into the tournament this time around, with just one goal for Utrecht this season. However, could a return to the national team help him rediscover not only his scoring touch but also his confidence? No one has defender their title since Egypt won the tournament three times in a row, so Cote d’Ivoire and Haller are up against history this time around.

Gaussou Diarra (Mali and Feyenoord)

Feyenoord’s winger Diarra has played just six games for the Eredivisie side since joining from Istanbulspor in the summer. Last year he scored 16 goals in 37 games for the Turkins second division team but is having to be patient in the Netherlands. He was called up to the Mali national team for World Cup qualification and is set to make his AFCON debut this winter. Mali have been drawn in Group A with tournament hosts and favourites Morocco, as well as Zambia and Comoros.

Anis Hadj Moussa (Algeria and Feyenoord)

Hadj Moussa heads to AFCON off the back of a great first half of the Eredivisie season. the 23-year-old winger has scored seven goals and grabbed three assists in just 23 games across Dutch and European football. This will be his first ever AFCON and he may well provide a surprising spark for an Algerian side that will be one of the contenders. His impact for Algeria usually comes off of the bench rather than as a starter, but his form for Feyenoord may see him given a chance to start if he can impress Madjid Bougherra.

AFCON kick’s off this Sunday and the final will take place on the 18th of January 2026.

GBeNeFN | Ben Jackson

For more on the history of the AFCON, a book by Get Belgian and Dutch Football writer Ben Jackson, published by Pitch Publishing, is available here.