Sports

Osimhen, Lookman, Bassey make AFCON 2025 team of the tournament

Published

1 week ago

January 21, 2026

The Confederation of African Football has released the official Team of the Tournament for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, following Senegal’s 1–0 extra-time victory over hosts Morocco in the final on January 18.

The Best XI highlights standout performers across the competition, with champions Senegal and runners-up Morocco strongly represented, alongside notable inclusions from Nigeria.

According to CAF in a statement on their website on Wednesday, the selection was based on consistency, impact, and excellence across all positions, determined through an in-depth technical analysis by the CAF Technical Study Group (TSG).

The evaluation process combined live data, multi-angle video feeds, and on-site assessments to ensure a comprehensive review of players’ performances.

CAF AFCON 2025 Best XI:

Goalkeeper: Yassine Bounou (Morocco)

Defenders: Achraf Hakimi (Morocco), Calvin Bassey (Nigeria), Moussa Niakhaté (Senegal), Noussair Mazraoui (Morocco)

Midfielders: Idrissa Gueye (Senegal), Pape Gueye (Senegal), Ademola Lookman (Nigeria)

Forwards: Sadio Mané (Senegal), Victor Osimhen (Nigeria), Brahim Díaz (Morocco)

The lineup reflects Senegal’s dominance at the tournament, with Sadio Mané widely regarded as the Player of the Tournament for his leadership and influence.

Nigeria, which claimed third place, contributed three players: defender Calvin Bassey, winger Ademola Lookman, and striker Victor Osimhen, reflecting their strong showing throughout the tournament.

The statement said in part, “The CAF Technical Study Group (TSG) has unveiled the Team of the Tournament for the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025, featuring standout performers such as Yassine Bounou, Idrissa Gueye and Sadio Mané.

“Tournament winners Senegal and finalists Morocco dominate the selection, with four players each named in the Best XI, as chosen by CAF’s TSG.

“The Team of the Tournament was selected following an in-depth technical analysis conducted by the CAF TSG, which implemented a fully integrated evaluation model throughout the competition.

“This process combined remote and on-site assessments, supported by live data platforms, multi-angle video feeds and dedicated video analysts, ensuring a comprehensive and objective review of performances across the tournament.

“Morocco’s presence is led by goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, who delivered an outstanding campaign, conceding just two goals in seven matches. He is joined by teammates Achraf Hakimi, Noussair Mazraoui and Brahim Díaz, who finished the tournament as the leading goalscorer.

“Champions Senegal, who secured their second continental title, are represented by defender Moussa Niakhaté, midfielders Pape Gueye and Idrissa Gueye, and forward Sadio Mané, who was named Player of the Tournament following a series of decisive performances.

“Nigeria, who finished third, also feature prominently with three players selected: defender Calvin Bassey, winger Ademola Lookman and striker Victor Osimhen, all of whom played key roles in the Super Eagles’ strong showing.”

CAF Unveils AFCON 2025 Team Of The Tournament, Senegal, Morocco Dominate

The Best XI highlights standout performers across the competition, with champions Senegal and runners-up Morocco strongly represented, alongside notable inclusions from Nigeria.

The evaluation process combined live data, multi-angle video feeds, and on-site assessments to ensure a comprehensive review of players’ performances.

CAF AFCON 2025 Best XI:

Goalkeeper: Yassine Bounou (Morocco)

Defenders: Achraf Hakimi (Morocco), Calvin Bassey (Nigeria), Moussa Niakhaté (Senegal), Noussair Mazraoui (Morocco)

Midfielders: Idrissa Gueye (Senegal), Pape Gueye (Senegal), Ademola Lookman (Nigeria)

Forwards: Sadio Mané (Senegal), Victor Osimhen (Nigeria), Brahim Díaz (Morocco)

The lineup reflects Senegal’s dominance at the tournament, with Sadio Mané widely regarded as the Player of the Tournament for his leadership and influence.

Nigeria, which claimed third place, contributed three players: defender Calvin Bassey, winger Ademola Lookman, and striker Victor Osimhen, reflecting their strong showing throughout the tournament.

“Tournament winners Senegal and finalists Morocco dominate the selection, with four players each named in the Best XI, as chosen by CAF’s TSG.

“The Team of the Tournament was selected following an in-depth technical analysis conducted by the CAF TSG, which implemented a fully integrated evaluation model throughout the competition.

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Sports

West Ham sign Fulham winger Traore

Published

15 hours ago

January 28, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

West Ham announced on Wednesday that they had signed winger Adama Traore from Fulham for an undisclosed fee.

The 30-year-old will be reunited at the London Stadium with manager Nuno Espirito Santo, with whom he worked previously at Wolves.

The Premier League strugglers described the forward as “strong, quick and able to create and score goals”.

Traore, who has been a peripheral player for Fulham this season, came through Barcelona’s youth system before joining Aston Villa in 2015. He has also played for Middlesbrough and Wolves.

The winger, who has made 262 Premier League appearances, scoring 14 goals, said he wanted to help relegation-threatened West Ham to the “maximum”.

“I love the challenges,” he said. “I think, of course, we have to go game by game. And this is what we’re going to do, trying to do our best. I think everything comes from belief. And I believe we’re going to achieve what we’re looking for.”

Nuno is relishing the chance to link up again with Traore, who has won eight caps for Spain.

“Adama is someone who knows the Premier League very well, and his qualities, both as a player and a person, will help us between now and the end of the season,” he said.

“He will give us a different option in attacking areas. He is also motivated to fight for us and ready to bring energy, commitment and determination to our challenge.”

West Ham are third from bottom of the Premier League, five points from safety, but have won their past two matches, against Tottenham and Sunderland.

The club has been active in the January transfer window as they battle for survival, signing forwards Pablo Felipe and Taty Castellanos earlier this month.

The January window closes on Monday.

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Sports

Again, Calvin Bassey father begs for reunion after 18 years

Published

2 days ago

January 27, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

Calvin Bassey father, Kingsley Ughelumba, has again cried out for help, seeking to reunite with his four children, including the Super Eagles defender, whom he says he has been separated from for over 18 years, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

Ughelumba reopened his long-running appeal, speaking about the painful estrangement from his children, which he attributed to a rift between him and their mother, Ebere Bassey.

Two years ago, Bassey’s father had publicly spoken about being cut off from his children’s lives. He has now returned with another emotional plea, saying he is “dying in silence” and still hoping for reconciliation.

The native of Ihiala Local Government Area in Anambra State said his first three sons—Elvis Ughelumba, Mathew Ughelumba and Calvin—were born in Italy, while his youngest son, Michael, was born in Ireland. According to him, the family lived together briefly in London before marital issues led to their separation.

“We had husband-and-wife arguments. I went to work and before I returned, she had left with the children,” Ughelumba said in a viral social media interview.

“She only reached out in 2017 when my children needed Nigerian passports. I sent all my documents and bought all their flight tickets. When they stayed with me then, I never told them their mum did anything to me. She has muted me since he signed for a football club.”

Bassey, a product of Leicester City’s youth system, rose to prominence after joining Rangers on a free transfer in July 2020. He made 65 appearances over two seasons for the Scottish giants, winning the Scottish Premiership and the Scottish Cup.

In July 2022, he joined Dutch side Ajax in a deal worth €23m, the highest transfer fee in Rangers’ history at the time. A year later, he signed for English Premier League club Fulham for €22m.

The 26-year-old made his Nigeria debut in March 2022 during the 2022 World Cup play-off against Ghana and has since earned 43 caps, establishing himself as a dependable defender at the last two Africa Cup of Nations tournaments.

Before breaking into senior football, Bassey was often listed under his father’s surname, Ughelumba, in team sheets. However, as his career progressed, he adopted his mother’s surname and has consistently credited her for supporting his journey.

“He’s just not in my life — we lived with him, but that was when I was really young,” Bassey once said when asked about his father.

“Since I was six, it has been mum and us boys. I knew that if I got the chance to put my name on the back of a shirt, I wanted it to be my mum’s name—my way of saying thank you.”

A heartbroken Ughelumba also recounted several failed attempts to reconnect with his children since 2020.

“I have not seen my children for a long time,” he said.

“During COVID in 2020, I drove all the way from London to Leicester when Calvin was playing there. I wasn’t looking for him because he was a footballer; I wanted to see my first son, but I didn’t have access because their mother had changed everything. I didn’t have their numbers or anything.”

“When I got to Leicester City, the club welcomed me and called Calvin. There was a name I used to call him when he was small—‘Biggy’. When they called him that, he responded immediately.”

“I spoke to him and he gave me an address. When I got there and he saw me, he called his mum and afterwards he changed. He got upset and told me to say whatever I wanted to say and leave. He said he didn’t want to see me again and drove off.”

Ughelumba further revealed that he travelled from Italy to Abidjan during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations to try once more to see his son.

“During Nigeria vs Angola, a journalist helped link me with the football federation. They gave me tickets and I watched the match. After that, I went to Abuja to try again, but I still didn’t see him,” he said.

“Since then, I have been dying in silence. I don’t have any problems with my children—it’s just their mum that made me feel bad. Even if I am a devil, I can’t be a devil where my children are.”

As of the time of filing this report, the Fulham defender was yet to respond to his father’s claims.

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