Khaberni - The African Nations Cup 2025 kicks off on Sunday in Morocco, amidst a state of shock among the continent's fans due to the absence of some of its most prominent stars, whether due to injury, technical exclusion, or their teams failing to qualify.
Arab Absences
Technical decisions and injuries put Arab players at the top of the absentee list; the Moroccan team (the host) will miss its stars Hakim Ziyech and Sofiane Boufal for technical reasons.
In "Al-Fara'ina," defender Mohamed Abdelmonem is absent due to injury, while the coach has technically excluded the veteran duo Mohamed Elneny and Ahmed Hegazi.
The Algerian team, meanwhile, enters the African fray deprived of Adam Ounas (technical decision), and Amin Gouiri and Youssef Belaili due to injuries.
Shocks of Cameroon and Nigeria Globally
The exclusion of goalkeeper Andre Onana (Cameroon) constituted the biggest shock after disputes with the local federation, followed by striker Vincent Aboubakar by a decision from the new coach.
In Nigeria, the former captain William Troost-Ekong is absent after his sudden international retirement announcement, and striker Victor Boniface was excluded due to declining performance.
Mandatory Absences of Stars
The tournament will also miss the sparkle of the Premier League stars, including the Ghanaian duo Mohammed Kudus and Antoine Semenyo, as well as Yoane Wissa (Democratic Republic of Congo) and Nicolas Pepe (Ivory Coast) who both missed out on the list for various reasons ranging from injury to technical choices.
