Burkina Faso’s technical director, Vincenzo Alberto Annese, has named Nigeria as his pick to win the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, singling out striker Victor Osimhen as the tournament’s standout forward.
Nigeria will face Algeria in the AFCON quarter-final on Saturday, with Annese highlighting the Super Eagles’ attacking strength as a major factor.
The Italian coach described Osimhen as the biggest threat in the tournament, emphasizing the striker’s impact on Nigeria’s performances.
So far at AFCON 2025, Nigeria has scored the most goals, netting 12 across seven different players.
Osimhen and Ademola Lookman have accounted for half of those goals, underlining their influence in the team’s offensive play.
Speaking to Italian sports newspaper Corriere dello Sport, Annese praised Nigeria’s attack, placing them alongside Ivory Coast as top contenders for the title.
“Nigeria has good attacking force. They are among the top teams along with Ivory Coast, but I think they are more reliable,” he said.
He also singled out Osimhen as the strongest centre-forward in the competition, noting that Nigeria’s game changes significantly whenever he is on the pitch.
Osimhen, who has scored 34 goals for Nigeria, is now just three goals shy of equalling Rashidi Yekini’s record as the country’s all-time top scorer.
Annese’s comments underscore Nigeria’s credentials as a title contender and highlight the pivotal role of Osimhen in the team’s campaign.
