Top African Players to Watch: FIFA Club World Cup 2025

The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 brings together football stars from around the world, including Africa, to compete for the prestigious title. We are expecting to see a swarm of African talents, both young guns and seasoned pros, ready to leave their imprint via this tournament.

The FIFA Club World Cup 2025, which kicked off on Saturday, June 14 in the United States, features 32 participating teams, four of which are African teams— Al Ahly, Wydad AC, Espérance de Tunis, and Mamelodi Sundowns.

However, we also have African players participating in the tournament from top-flight teams like Manchester City and Chelsea, who promise to showcase their skills and talents during this competition. 

Let’s look at the top African Players poised to shine in the FIFA Club World Cup.

Mohamed ‘Afsha’ Magdy – Al Ahly (Egypt)

Afsha, the talismanic playmaker for Al Ahly, has been the centre of the Red Devils’ midfield for several seasons. He is mainly celebrated for scoring the winning goal in the 2020 CAF Champions League final against Zamalek and another goal against Kaizer Chiefs in the 2021 final of the same tournament.

He is also not a stranger to scoring in the FIFA Club World Cup, and all eyes are on him to see how he performs in the revamped competition. From the previous season, the renowned midfielder scored 9 goals and provided 11 assists in the Egyptian Premier League.

Emam Ashour – Al Ahly (Egypt)

Emam Ashour is a talented youngster who has made noteworthy contributions to Al Ahly, including being a top scorer and goal contributor in the Egyptian Premier League.

The energetic 27-year-old, who is renowned as a star player for Al Ahly, was part of the squad that faced Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami in their Group A fixture at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, but unfortunately, he picked up a shoulder injury only seven minutes into the game. The game ultimately ended in a frustrating goalless opening draw.

Fans are devastated by this news, as everyone really looked forward to seeing the star player put up a thrilling show.

Nicholas Jackson – Chelsea (Senegal)

There will be sights on Senegalese striker, Nicholas Jackson, despite the signing of English forward Liam Delap to Chelsea. We cannot understate the contributions made by the striker since joining the English Premier League side, including scoring 14 league goals in his debut season and being the second-highest scoring African in the Premier League for the 2023-24 season.

READ ALSO: African Clubs Participating in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025

Omar Marmoush – Manchester City (Egypt)

Egyptian forward Omar Marmoush joined Manchester City in January 2025 and quickly adapted to their style of play. Before joining the English side, Marmoush had a stellar Bundesliga campaign with Eintracht Frankfurt, and fans are looking out to seeing the 26-year-old’s performance in the FIFA Club World Cup alongside Erling Haaland in front.

Stéphane Aziz Ki - Wydad AC (Burkina Faso)

Attacking midfielder Stéphane Aziz Ki just joined Wydad AC in a $1 million deal, and he made our list even though he hasn’t played many games with his new team because of his remarkable record from his previous club, Young Africans FC, scoring 41 goals in 92 appearances and winning multiple awards.

Kalidou Koulibaly - Senegal (Al-Hilal)

During his single season at Chelsea, Senegalese centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly was a defensive stalwart before his summer move. Koulibaly has been a formidable force for the Saudi Arabian club, with a noteworthy contribution which helped his side reach the top of the Saudi league. He would be expecting to deliver his best for Al-Hilal in the FIFA Club World Cup, adding to his already admirable reputation.

Mohamed El Shenawy- Egypt (Al Ahly)

One of the most decorated African goalkeepers, Mohamed El Shenawy, will be performing live for his team in the FIFA Club World Cup. The 36-year-old seasoned player would be expected to combine his experience with tenacity and help his side go all the way in the competition.

Denis Bouanga - Gabon (LAFC)

This prolific finisher, Denis Bouanga, is an asset for Los Angeles FC. Fans are no doubt expecting so much from the Gabonese striker, who has won so many awards and titles with his side.

In all competitions, Denis has scored an impressive 38 goals and provided 14 assists in just 48 appearances. More goals are sure to come in the FIFA Club World Cup.

Youcef Belaïli - Algeria (Espérance de Tunis)

Algerian player of the year in Africa in 2020, Youcef Belaïli, has had a distinguished career as an attacking midfielder for Espérance de Tunis. In the previous season, Youcef scored 9 goals and provided 6 assists. He is the second-highest goal scorer in the team, and heading into the FIFA Club World Cup, he would be looking to add to those numbers.

Nordin Amrabat - Morocco (Wydad AC)

At the age of 38, Nordin Amrabat joined Wydad AC for the sole aim of participating in the FIFA Club World Cup. This move marks a return to Moroccan football for the midfielder, who recently concluded his contract with English Championship side Hull City. His signing with Wydad AC, mainly for this competition, shows his eagerness to leave his mark and fans are glued to their screen to see what he’ll bring.