With the Africa Cup of Nations final looming on Sunday night at 19:00 GMT, the battle for the Golden Boot has taken on fresh intrigue following Egypt’s exit and Nigeria’s bronze-medal win.
Mohamed Salah’s journey in the scoring race has come to an end, but the contest remains finely poised ahead of Sunday’s showpiece.
Egypt exit closes Salah’s chapter
Mohamed Salah finishes AFCON 2025 with four goals after Egypt’s campaign ended in the third-place match. The Pharaohs were held to a goalless draw by Nigeria before losing 4–2 on penalties, a result that followed their narrow 1–0 semi-final defeat to Senegal.
Salah’s four goals came against Mozambique, South Africa, Benin and Côte d’Ivoire, underlining his consistency despite Egypt falling short of the final. With no further matches to play, the Liverpool forward can now only watch as others chase his tally.
Osimhen level, Díaz in control
Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen also sits on four goals after the Super Eagles’ run to the semi-finals and subsequent bronze-medal success. However, the man in pole position is Morocco’s Brahim Díaz, who leads the scoring chart with five goals heading into the final.
Díaz’s advantage gives him a clear edge, but history shows that AFCON finals often deliver decisive individual moments that can quickly reshape the standings.
Final-day threats remain
Several players still have a realistic chance of matching or overtaking Salah. Morocco forward Ayoub El Kaabi, currently on three goals, could draw level with a single strike in the final or surpass him with more.
Senegal also boast multiple contenders. Sadio Mané, Nicolas Jackson, Pape Gueye and Cherif Ndiaye all have two goals each. While the margin is steep, a standout performance in the final could dramatically alter the Golden Boot picture.
What to watch on Sunday
With continental glory at stake for Senegal and Morocco, the Golden Boot race adds another layer of drama. Whether Díaz extends his lead or a late surge rewrites the narrative, AFCON 2025’s final promises goals, pressure and defining moments.
AFCON 2025 top scorers
5 goals: Brahim Díaz (Morocco)
4 goals: Victor Osimhen (Nigeria), Mohamed Salah (Egypt)
3 goals: Ademola Lookman (Nigeria), Amad Diallo (Côte d’Ivoire), Ayoub El Kaabi (Morocco), Lassine Sinayoko (Mali), Riyad Mahrez (Algeria)
2 goals: Bazoumana Touré (Côte d’Ivoire), Cherif Ndiaye (Senegal), Christian Kofane (Cameroon), Elias Achouri (Tunisia), Gaël Kakuta (DR Congo), Geny Catamo (Mozambique), Ibrahim Maza (Algeria), Ilyas Foster (South Africa), Nicolas Jackson (Senegal), Oswin Appollis (South Africa), Pape Gueye (Senegal), Raphael Onyedika (Nigeria), Akor Adams (Nigeria), Sadio Mané (Senegal)
