CAF reveals its best XI of the CAN 2025 group stage | OneFootball

CAF unveils its best XI from the CAN 2025 group stage

Mahrez/@CAF

The Confederation of African Football has announced its best XI from the first round of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations which wrapped up on Thursday with the final matches of Groups E and F.

Morocco is the only nation with two players in the lineup: Noussair Mazraoui and Brahim Diaz. The remaining squad members come from nine different national teams.

The African football governing body opted for a 4-3-3 formation, with Tuanzebe and Tapsoba forming the central defensive pair ahead of El-Shenawy. Abdi and Mazraoui have been picked as wing-backs.

The midfield trio features Baleba, Brahim, and Lookman, while Mahrez and Mané are selected up front to support Manchester United’s Ivorian sensation, Amad Diallo.

Here is the group stage best XI:

Mohamed El-Shenawy (Egypt) – Noussair Mazraoui (Morocco) – Axel Tuanzebe (DR Congo) – Edmond Tapsoba (Burkina Faso) – Ali Abdi (Tunisia) – Carlos Baleba (Cameroon) – Brahim Diaz (Morocco) – Ademola Lookman (Nigeria) – Riyad Mahrez (Algeria) – Amad Diallo (Ivory Coast) – Sadio Mané (Senegal).

Notably, CAF named Eric Chelle as the top coach of the first round, after he steered Nigeria to three consecutive victories.