AFCON 2025: Hugo Broos reveals his favorites
South Africa’s coach, Hugo Broos, sees Morocco’s Atlas Lions, boosted by their solidity and home advantage, as the strong favorites to win the continental title.
Le sélectionneur de l’Afrique du Sud, Hugo Broos
South Africa’s coach, Hugo Broos, gave a blunt analysis of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, ruling out both the Bafana Bafana and several heavyweights of the continent, such as Nigeria or title-holder Ivory Coast, in naming Morocco the main favorite for the crown.
For the Belgian coach, the Atlas Lions have all the assets to go all the way in the competition, scheduled to run until January 2026. “It is always very dangerous to consider oneself the favorite,” he told Flashscore. “This AFCON will be more competitive than the previous one in Ivory Coast. If I had to name a favorite, it would be Morocco.”
Broos particularly highlights the team’s collective solidity and the Moroccans’ home advantage. “They’re a very good team and they’re playing at home,” he added, emphasizing a factor that is often decisive in this kind of tournament. Already underway in the competition, the Atlas Lions have gotten off to a perfect start. Victorious over Comoros in their opening match, they top Group A with three points. Walid Regragui’s men will try to confirm this momentum in their upcoming matches against Zambia and Mali, with the stated ambition of living up to the favorite status given to them.