CAN 2025: some figures to remember
CAN 2025 delivered its epilogue this Sunday, January 18, 2026 with the coronation of Senegal, the second in its history, ahead of Morocco. Here are some figures to summarize the competition held in the Shereef Kingdom.
121
This is the number of goals scored during this CAN 2025. We witnessed the most prolific African Cup in history, ahead of the 119 goals scored during the Ivorian edition two years ago. Note that Nigeria, 3rd in the tournament, is the best attack with 14 goals, ahead of Senegal (13).
5
Brahim Diaz, unhappy with his penalty during the final, still has a small consolation prize. For his first CAN, the Moroccan finished top scorer with 5 goals. He is thus ahead of Mohamed Salah, author of 4 achievements.
Brahim Diaz also achieved the feat of being the first footballer in history to score at least 1 goal in his first 5 African Cup matches. He actually scored during the three group days, in 1/8th and ¼.
The club of 2
The 2 is symbolic for Senegal during CAN 2025. With only 2 goals conceded, the Lions finished with the best defense in the competition, as in 2021. They are tied with Morocco, who also conceded 2 goals.
Furthermore, by winning its 2nd star, Senegal joins the very closed circle of countries that have won two CAN awards: Algeria and DR Congo.
On an individual level, Sadio Mané won the title of best player of CAN 2025, his second distinction in this competition after that won during the CAN won in 2022.
6
Senegal won 6 matches during CAN 2025. This is quite simply the first time in its history that the Lions have won so many matches in the competition. The previous record was 5 successes during CAN 2019 in Egypt.
18
This is the number of matches without defeat for Senegal in the African Cup of Nations. It is quite simply the 2nd longest series in the history of the competition. The Lions have not lost in a match (90 or 120 minutes of play) since the final lost against Algeria (0-1) in the CAN 2019 final. The longest unbeaten streak in the history of the CAN belongs to Egypt, which went 24 matches without losing between February 2004 and February 2017.
660
This is the number of minutes played by Idrissa Gana Gueye during CAN 2025. The Senegalese midfielder simply played every minute of the competition, being a key element in the success of the Lions. And to think that he is 36 years old…
1st
Senegal, by beating Morocco, put an end to a curse against the organizing country. Indeed, the Senegalese had never beaten a host country in the African Cup, in the knockout phase. Before this success on Moroccan soil, there were several defeats: in 1990, they lost against Algeria in the semi-final. In 2000, there was a setback against Nigeria in the quarter-final, the same against Tunisia in 2004, in the 1/4 final. There were also defeats against Egypt in 2006 in the semi-final, and against Ivory Coast on penalties in the 1/8 final in 2023.
Finally, tribute to Pape Thiaw. By winning CAN 2025, he becomes the first coach in history to achieve the CHAN-CAN double. He had indeed won the African Nations Championship (CHAN) trophy in 2023. Knowing that CHAN was abolished by CAF, he is therefore forever the first, forever the last, forever the only.
Oumar Boubacar NDONGO
