Young African Stars Shine Ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations

Some young African players with great potential, active in major European clubs, are preparing to participate in the Africa Cup of Nations football tournament in Morocco between Sunday and January 18.

Yan Diomandé (19 years old) - Ivory Coast

Currently a talent of the "Elephants" national team. At only nineteen, the young Ivorian shines in the ranks of German club Leipzig and may surprise everyone on the Moroccan fields during the continental tournament. Fast and skillful with both feet, he needed only a short time to establish himself in the attack of the third-ranked Bundesliga team. He plays with his right foot and can occupy the left winger position, giving him great flexibility to surpass opponents. Despite his young age, Diomandé impresses with his maturity, although he still needs to refine his finishing skills. Thanks to his abilities, he has attracted the attention of scouts from major European clubs. However, in the Africa Cup of Nations, he may suffer from a lack of experience if he wants to secure a place in the star-studded attack of the defending champions. But if coach Emile Faye considers his current dynamism, this talent who has burst onto the scene this season will not hesitate to meet his needs.

Carlos Baleba (21 years old) - Cameroon

After learning the art of the game in Cameroon, Carlos Baleba moved to Lille in 2021 to hone his talent. At the northern club, the son of Douala city seemed like a gem needing polishing and still lacked enough experience to demand a starting spot. Since Lille could not fulfill his ambitions, the ambitious young player chose to move to Brighton, where he quickly established himself thanks to his enthusiasm and strong personality that perfectly match the style of the English league. Primarily a defensive midfielder, he can play all midfield positions whether as a holding midfielder, a link between defense and attack, or an advanced playmaker. His career has not gone unnoticed by major European clubs that keep him on their interest lists every transfer window.

After being long targeted by Paris Saint-Germain, where he was close to signing during the last two transfer windows, Baleba, at twenty-one, has become a key element in the "Indomitable Lions" squad, expected to gain more importance within a young lineup preparing for the Africa Cup of Nations, and to play a bigger role amid the renewal following the exclusion of veterans like Vincent Aboubakar, Michael Ngadeu, and André Onana.

Noah Sadiki (20 years old) - Democratic Republic of Congo

At 21, the Congolese midfielder is considered one of the expected pillars of the "Leopards" national team, which he joined unexpectedly a year ago while Belgium was opening its arms to him. After playing in Belgium's youth teams, Sadiki chose to answer the call of his parents' homeland, a move that pleased French coach Sébastien Desabre.

Born in Brussels and trained at Anderlecht's academy, he shone with rival club Union Saint-Gilloise, where his exceptional ball-winning abilities stood out over two seasons. He became a key man in Union's midfield and began attracting interest from major clubs before finally succumbing to the lure of the English league, where he landed last summer with newly promoted Sunderland under French coach Régis Le Bris, who gave him a pivotal role in the squad. He again demonstrated his great ability to win the ball against the "Super Eagles" of Nigeria and the Cameroonian Indomitable Lions, whom the Congolese eliminated in the African World Cup qualifiers. Now, the destination is the Africa Cup of Nations.

Ibrahim Mbaye (17) and Lamine Camara (21) - Senegal

Even before reaching adulthood, Mbaye will arrive in Morocco as a new regular starter for Paris Saint-Germain, the European champion, after progressing through the youth ranks from under-16 to under-20. He recently became an international player with Senegal, having previously played for French youth teams. With Paris Saint-Germain, he is increasingly participating under Spanish coach Luis Enrique, embodying the rise of young players amid numerous matches and injuries. With the national team, he left a strong mark from the start by scoring a goal and assisting two in a friendly match against Kenya.

As for Camara, he has already experienced the Africa Cup of Nations atmosphere two years ago, scoring two goals during the tournament. In a midfield that includes names like Idrissa Gueye, Ismaïla Sarr, and Pape Gueye, who may appear inconsistently, the Monaco player, who joined the club in 2024, represents an additional asset for coach Papiss Diao thanks to his ability to break lines. However, he will be required to control his impulsiveness to avoid recklessness, as happened when he made a violent tackle on Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Luca Chevalier in the French league, narrowly escaping a red card.