By Alusine Rehme Wilson, Sierra Leone
Nigeria’s Super Eagles once again underlined their remarkable affinity with the Africa Cup of Nations bronze medal, defeating Egypt 4–2 on penalties on Saturday evening to secure a record ninth third-place finish at the 2025 TotalEnergies CAF AFCON in Morocco.
After suffering a narrow semi-final defeat to hosts Morocco, Nigeria showed trademark resilience in the third-place playoff held in Casablanca.
Although, the match ended goalless after regulation time, with both sides locked in a tense and disciplined contest that offered few clear chances, Goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali emerged as the hero in the ensuing shootout, helping his country, Nigeria edge past the seven-time champions and AFCON giants Egypt 4–2 from the spot.
The victory preserved an extraordinary record for the Nigerians, who’ve now won all nine AFCON third-place matches they have contested, an achievement unmatched in the tournament’s history.
Saturday’s success not only maintained that perfect run but also extended Nigeria’s overall bronze medal tally to nine, further separating them from their continental rivals.
For the Egyptians, despite their proud history and three previous bronze wins, they were unable to disrupt Nigeria’s dominance in high-pressure playoff matches.
Over the years, AFCON third-place encounters have often been marked by chaos and controversy by Nigeria’s story, has been one of composure and efficiency, from narrow victories in 2002 and 2006, to commanding performances in 2010 and 2019, and now another coolly executed penalty shootout in 2025.
The bronze medal also capped a strong AFCON campaign for the Super Eagles, who boasted one of the tournament’s most potent attacks and reached the semi-finals before bowing out on penalties against Morocco.
Thus, ending their campaign in this year’s tournament with silverware provided fitting reward for their consistency.
For Egypt, the defeat brought a frustrating end to a campaign that had promised much, especially after their dramatic quarter-final victory over Côte d’Ivoire. Their wait for another AFCON bronze medal continues, with their last third-place finish coming more than four decades ago.
As attention shifts to Sunday’s final between Morocco and Senegal, Nigeria depart AFCON 2025 with history firmly intact, having reaffirmed thief legacy as Africa’s undisputed kings of the bronze-medal matches.
