GK: Yassine Bounou (Morocco)
Morocco’s veteran goalkeeper Yassine Bounou has not been overly busy during this year’s AFCON, but five clean sheets speak for themselves. Only Mali have managed to score against Morocco’s resolute defence, and Bounou has been an integral part of that solidity at the back. The Sevilla stopper featured in Morocco’s 2018 and 2022 World Cup campaigns and has appeared in four previous AFCON tournaments. As yet, he has not tasted success with his nation, but Sunday presents the perfect opportunity on home soil.
RB: Achraf Hakimi (Morocco)
Not only the best right-back in the final, Achraf Hakimi is widely regarded as one of the finest full-backs in world football. The Moroccan captain is set to come up against Senegal’s talisman Sadio Mané in what promises to be the most tantalising individual battle of the final.
CB: Kalidou Koulibaly (Senegal)
Kalidou Koulibaly will miss the final after picking up a second booking during the knockout stages, before limping off in the first half of the semi-final. His absence is a significant blow to Senegal’s chances. Although Koulibaly may be approaching the twilight of his career, his leadership, authority, and experience will be sorely missed by his teammates.
CB: Nayef Aguerd (Morocco)
Aguerd is one of the few Morocco players with experience of winning an international trophy, having been part of the 2017–18 African Nations Championship squad, a now-abolished tournament that alternated with AFCON. He has been one of Morocco’s most consistent performers throughout the competition, including a Man of the Match display against Cameroon in the quarter-finals. While not the biggest name on the pitch, Aguerd is likely to be among the most decisive.
LB: Noussair Mazraoui (Morocco)
Manchester United’s Noussair Mazraoui is a versatile full-back who has primarily operated on the left for Morocco following the emergence of Achraf Hakimi on the opposite flank. Possessing strong tactical awareness and excellent game intelligence, his selection is justified ahead of Cameroon’s more attack-minded El Hadji Malick Diouf.
CM: Ismael Saibari (Morocco)
Comfortable both in central midfield and on the right wing, Ismael Saibari found the net against Cameroon in the quarter-finals. A regular contributor of goals for both club and country, his energy and ball-carrying ability are vital components of Morocco’s system, as well as PSV’s. A significant move appears inevitable in the not-too-distant future.
CM: Idrissa Gana Gueye (Senegal)
One of the elder statesmen of the tournament, Idrissa Gana Gueye is set to make his 128th international appearance on Sunday. A winner of AFCON in 2022, he may no longer possess the same physical dynamism, but his tenacity, positioning, and game management remain crucial in high-pressure fixtures. It is likely to be his final tournament given his advancing age.
CM: Pape Gueye (Senegal)
Despite sharing a surname, Pape Gueye is unrelated to his midfield partner Idrissa Gana Gueye, though their chemistry suggests otherwise. A dynamic box-to-box midfielder, he netted twice against Sudan in the quarter-finals. Earlier in his career, he was part of Senegal’s 2022 AFCON-winning squad and will be aiming to add a second title to his honours.
FW: Brahim Díaz (Morocco)
Brahim Díaz is expected to be one of the most creative influences in the final. While he has struggled to secure a regular starting role at Real Madrid, he remains central to Morocco’s attacking ambitions. Díaz scored in each of the first five matches of the tournament before being kept relatively quiet against Nigeria.
FW: Nicolas Jackson (Senegal)
It is easy to forget that Nicolas Jackson is still only 24. After breaking through at Villarreal, he earned a high-profile move to Chelsea, where his return of 30 goals in 81 appearances was respectable, albeit often accompanied by a low conversion rate. Having scored twice against Botswana earlier in the tournament, he was subsequently rested against Benin and Mali. Jackson is expected to lead the line in the final and will be hoping to deliver on the biggest stage.
FW: Sadio Mané (Senegal)
The very definition of a big-game player, Sadio Mané remains Senegal’s main man. With 52 goals in 123 international appearances, many of them in decisive moments, his influence is undeniable. His solitary strike proved the difference against Mohamed Salah’s Egypt in the semi-final, and he will once again be expected to rise to the occasion on Sunday.
