Real Madrid attacker Brahim Diaz has finished as the top scorer of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, with South Africa's Teboho Mokoena also featuring prominently among the competition's goal-getters.
With the qualification phase wrapped up and the 24 teams confirmed for the tournament in Morocco next year, the spotlight turns to the players who consistently found the back of the net.
They'll aim to replicate that form on the continent's grandest stage.
Read: OFFICIAL: All 24 teams who qualified for AFCON 2025
Mokoena played a pivotal role in South Africa's qualification campaign. The midfielder netted a brace in Bafana Bafana's emphatic 5-0 win over Congo before adding another goal in their 3-0 victory against South Sudan in their final qualifier.
This scoring spree places the 27-year-old level with some of the continent's top names, including Senegal's Sadio Mane, Cameroon's Vincent Aboubakar and Morocco's Youssef En-Nesyri, who all tallied three goals each.
Ahead of Mokoena and co. are a trio of stars who netted four times in the qualifiers: Egypt's Trezeguet, Algeria's Amine Gouiri and Zambia's Kennedy Musonda.
Meanwhile, Guinea's Serhou Guirassy stands out for his efforts despite his side failing to qualify.
The Borussia Dortmund striker scored six goals in just four appearances, but his prolific form wasn't enough to secure Guinea's spot in Morocco.
Guirassy's heartbreak came in the final round of Group H matches, where Guinea needed just a draw against Tanzania to secure qualification.
However, Simon Msuva's 61st-minute strike earned Tanzania a 1-0 win, sending the Taifa Stars to the tournament and leaving Guinea empty-handed.
Brahim Diaz Dominates
At the summit of the scoring chart is Brahim Diaz, whose seven goals helped Morocco cruise through the qualifiers with a flawless record. The Atlas Lions dominated their group, winning all six matches, scoring 26 goals, and conceding just twice.
Diaz's standout performance came in Morocco's 7-0 demolition of Lesotho, where he bagged a hat-trick to cap off an extraordinary campaign.
The Real playmaker will now turn his attention to the main event, where Morocco will look to make the most of their home advantage when the AFCON kicks off in December 2025.
With their top scorer in red-hot form and a stellar team backing him, the Atlas Lions are shaping up to be strong favourites for the title.
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As the qualifiers come to a close, fans will be eager to see whether these standout performers, including South Africa's Mokoena and Morocco's Diaz, can carry their form into the tournament and lead their nations to glory.
By Junaid Benjamin
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