AFCON 2025 Preview: Group D

AFCON 2025 Preview: Group D

The Senegal national team at a pre-AFCON 2025 event. Photo: Senegalese Football Federation

AFCON 2025 Preview: Group D

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is upon us with kickoff in Morocco set for December 21! Pan-Africa Football is previewing each group and our next preview continues with Group D, which contains group favorites Senegal as well as DR Congo, Benin and Botswana! Read more on all four teams below:

 

Senegal

 

Introduction

 

The 2021 AFCON champions, the Lions of Teranga are not quite roaring as loudly as they were a few years ago but remain a certified African powerhouse. Notable friendly victories over the likes of England (2025) and Brazil (in 2023) are reminders of the West African nation’s ability to produce talented young players while superstars like Sadio Mane move closer to retirement.

Head coach Pape Thiaw, who led the local-based national team to a 2022 African Nations Championship (CHAN) title, was chosen to succeed long-time tactician Aliou Cissé last December and successfully qualified the team to the 2026 World Cup. Consistency and solidity in support of the team’s star players is Senegal’s greatest strength, leaving them one of the tournament favorites even if it seems they are a bit under the radar this time around.

 

AFCON Record

 

Appearances17
Best FinishChampions (2021)
Last Appearance2023- Round of 16

 

Key Players

 

Sadio Mané (Club: Al Nassr [KSA])

 

He is in the twilight of his career but Mane remains the heartbeat and leader of the team. Not quite as explosive as his Liverpool days, the 33-year-old forward continues to produce with Saudi giants Al Nassr and produced five goals during Senegal’s successful 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign. Even at an advanced age, Mane remains an inspiration to his teammates with an unrivaled fighting spirit that suggests he will be eager to remind everybody of his match-winning abilities in Morocco.

 

Kalidou Koulibaly (Al Hilal [KSA])

 

This tournament may very well be the last AFCON for Mane but also Koulibaly, the rock of the Senegalese defense. The center back, who is also enjoying his time in Saudi Arabia with Al Hilal, proved he can still compete at a high level with his strong performances at the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup over the summer. A reliable distributor and leader who thrives in big matches, it is clear that he has at least one more good major tournament in him.

 

Pape Matar Sarr (Tottenham Hotspur [ENG])

 

The last two editions of the AFCON saw the Tottenham central midfielder gradually eased into the Lions’ XI, but 2025 is an opportunity for the 23-year-old to establish himself as the chief creative option in a deep midfield group. Sarr’s role fluctuated during the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign but timely goals as a substitute against DR Congo and Sudan showed that he will thrive however coach Thiaw uses him.

 

X-Factor

 

El Hadji Malick Diouf (West Ham United [ENG])

 

West Ham United’s recent signing is still finding his feet in the English Premier League but Diouf continues to develop at a rapid rate. This fact continues to be recognized by Thiaw who has incorporated the 20-year-old as his number one left back, and it appears that the rising talent will have a role at the AFCON. A versatile player with strong physical and impressive technical abilities for his age, Diouf offers Senegal an excellent attacking option at the fullback position to complement Mane who enjoys cutting inside from the left wing.

 

DR Congo

 

Introduction

The Leopards will always have a place in African football history for being the first sub-Saharan African nation to qualify for the World Cup in 1974, but their more recent history has been characterized by unfulfilled potential. It appears that this team is finding their way and playing to the fullest of their abilities, however, and they remain firmly in the chase for a place the 2026 World Cup after vanquishing African powerhouses Cameroon and Nigeria in the regional playoff.

A big reason for this is coach Sébastien Desabre. An experienced campaigner in African football for club and national teams, the Frenchman is a proven winner both on the pitch and off of it. Not only has he gotten the best out of a squad filled with talent but he has also significantly boosted his team’s chances by excelling at a key part of the duties of modern national team coaches: Recruiting dual nationals to play for him. With many players of Congolese descent previously refusing calls to the Leopards, it is a testament to his reputation among players that he has gotten these players to commit.

 

AFCON Record

 

Appearances20
Best FinishChampions (1968, 1974)
Last Appearance2023- Fourth Place

 

Key Players

 

Chancel Mbemba (Lille [FRA])

 

The clear captain of the team built his reputation in European club football as a versatile defensive player, but with the Leopards his leadership abilities and strong performances in crucial matches has come to the forefront. Mbemba leaves everything on the pitch and uses his experience in top European leagues to contain the opposing team’s best attacking player, with few of Africa’s top attackers getting the best of him. With DR Congo, Mbemba’s passing abilities also shine where he is given more freedom with the ball at his feet as the chief distributor of the Congolese defense.

 

Aaron Wan-Bissaka (West Ham United [ENG])

 

Yes indeed…the defense is where the Leopards greatest strength lies. After a long period of hunting for the English-born defender’s commitment to represent DR Congo, it was coach Desabre who finally got Wan-Bissaka to join up and he proved himself immediately in key World Cup qualifying games. The West Ham United right back, known more as an old-fashioned full back compared to his more attacking peers, has made the Congolese defense appear impenetrable at times when he and Mbemba are involved.

 

Noah Sadiki (Sunderland [ENG])

 

With endless stamina as well as his versatility and tenacity, Sadiki is turning heads in his first season in the English Premier League since arriving at surprise package Sunderland ahead of the ongoing 2025-26 season. The Brussels-born player prefers to operate in the heart of the midfield but can also play as a fullback or central defender. With the Leopards, the 21-year-old will line up in the middle of the pitch where he can constantly disrupt opposition attacks. While the defense is strong for the DRC, Sadiki’s presence in the midfield adds another complex problem for AFCON opponents to solve.

 

X-Factor

 

Nathanaël Mbuku (Montpellier [FRA])

 

Similarly to Wan-Bissaka, it did not take too long for the former French youth international to leap into a prominent role after committing to the Leopards a little over a year ago. Mbuku was previously a youth phenom in French football circles, leading the France U-17 national team to third place at the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Brazil while winning the Silver Ball as the second-leading goal scorer. A set piece expert who has a flair for the spectacular, coach Desabre will hope all of Mbuku’s positive traits and creativity emerge in Morocco.

 

Benin

 

 

Introduction

 

The team formerly known by the popular nickname “The Squirrels” are now known as the “Cheetahs” in the hopes that they will be more intimidating to opponents. But the challenge remains for the West African nation to progress beyond a level that is adequate at its best and mediocre at its worst. With signs of positive youth football development and impressive regional results in youth tournaments, supporters are now demanding more of their team and it is up to Les Guepards to become a team that is feared by its African rivals.

We know that Beninese football is capable, as seen in the team that reached the AFCON quarterfinals in 2019. Veteran German coach Gernot Rohr knows African football well and the team’s close call in 2026 World Cup qualifying indicates a desire to move up to the next tier. However, Benin is a team that continues to transition between generations and they will need a couple of their talented young players to rise to the occasion in Morocco to have a chance of success.

 

AFCON Record

 

Appearances4
Best FinishQuarterfinals (2019)
Last Appearance2019- Quarterfinalists

Key Players

 

Steve Mounié (Alanyaspor [TUR])

 

A veteran striker who combines the strong physical frame of a traditional “#9” forward with capable finishing abilities, Mounié rises to the occasion when Benin needs a goal. After a difficult period in his club career last season with Augsburg in Germany’s Bundesliga, Mounié is beginning to regain his confidence just in time with a loan move to Turkish football. There are other talented options at the forward position, but Beninese supporters will always have faith in Mounie because of his proven record with the Cheetahs with 22 goals in 63 appearances.

 

Dodo Dokou (Leixões [POR])

 

While some key players like Mounie did their youth football development abroad or are dual nationals, Dodo is representative of the new Beninese generation. The 21-year-old central midfielder developed in Benin and made his name with Egyptian club Smouha before earning his first transfer to European football in August with Portuguese second tier side Leixoes. A native of Cotonou, Dodo can contribute defensively or offensively by initiating attacks with dynamic movement and passing ability while acting as a valuable protector for the defensive line. 

 

Mohamed Tijani (Yverdon-Sport [CHE])

 

The powerfully built central defender will be a key player in Morocco for the Cheetahs. Born in Ivory Coast to a Beninese father, Tijani began his youth career at Abidjan side Africa Sports before beginning an ongoing ten-year spell in European club football at Spanish club Rayo Vallecano. Now in the Swiss second tier with Yverdon-Sport, Tijani excels most in the air where he is always at the top of the charts when it comes to winning aerial duels.

 

X-Factor

 

Junior Olaitan (Goztepe [TUR])

 

The main issue with Benin is that this team can be quite predictable and lacks creative forces in the midfield and attack. Olaitan is the player most capable of providing the spark needed to ignite the Cheetahs attack, with excellent dribbling ability that can break down defenses. His pace and unpredictable nature can be a strength for Benin, but consistency is an issue for the player who made his name in France’s second tier Ligue 2 with Chamois Niortais and Grenoble Foot before moving to Turkish club Goztepe ahead of the ongoing 2025-26 season.

 

Botswana

 

Introduction

 

With only one previous appearance at the AFCON (2012) where they exited with three defeats from three matches, Botswana is eager to graduate from being mere participants to a team that makes noise in Africa’s biggest competition. The Zebras had to fight for their place, earning a gritty draw in Egypt on the final day to secure their place. Botswana will be among the most experienced teams at the competition, something that could be in their favor on the big stage.

Under accomplished South African coach Morena Ramoreboli, who made his name in the country’s top flight with Jwaneng Galaxy, this team does give the impression it is capable of advancing out of their group. The objective will be to secure their first-ever victory at the competition, where that may be just enough to advance. 

 

AFCON Record

 

Appearances3
Best FinishGroup Stage (1980, 2019, 2023)
Last Appearance2023- Group Stage

 

Key Players

 

Kabelo Seakanyang (Maghreb Fez [MAR])

 

The diminutive winger has put in the hard work in his club career, moving to Morocco in 2020 and establishing himself as a well regarded attacker in the top flight Botola Pro with Olympique Khourigba and now Maghreb Fez. Can operate on either flank but prefers to be on the left wing where he can run at defenders and find angles to shoot on goal. Has accumulated 15 goals and 17 assists in 71 Botola Pro appearances.

 

Tumisang Orebonye (Al Ittihad Tripoli [LBY])

 

A powerful striker who, like Seakanyeng, moved to Olympique Khourigba in 2020 before forging his own path of success in North Africa. The now 29-year-old won the 2022-23 CAF Confederation Cup before bouncing around back to Morocco, to Libya and now back to Morocco with Casablanca giants Wydad AC. While Orebonye is not a particularly prolific goal scorer considering his position, his strength and work rate are beloved by coaches as well as his ability to get on the end of services into the penalty area.

 

Thatayaone Ditlhokwe (Al Ittihad Tripoli)

 

Ditlhokwe quickly established himself as not only an important player for the Zebras, but also an integral defensive leader in his preferred spot in the heart of the defense. Strong performances at the regional COSAFA Cup earned the defender a move to South Africa where he became an acclaimed player at SuperSport United and Kaizer Chiefs before making a big money move to current club Al Ittihad Tripoli in Libya. A commanding presence who will make his presence known to opposition forwards.

 

X-Factor

 

Goitseone Phoko (Jwaneng Galaxy [BWA])

 

The Jwaneng Galaxy goalkeeper is a delightfully unpredictable player, even if it may cause stress to his supporters at times. Despite his hefty build, Phoko springs well for highlight reel saves and is fearlessly ambitious with his distribution. The definition of an X-Factor, Phoko has plenty of experience in CAF club competitions that will prepare him well to hopefully showcase his positive characteristics at the AFCON in Morocco.

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AFCON 2025 Preview
Benin
Botswana
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