Nigeria Beats Egypt on Penalties for AFCON Bronze

The Super Eagles turned disappointment into triumph Saturday, claiming bronze at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations with a penalty shootout victory over Egypt in Morocco.

Nigeria faced Egypt after regulation time ended in a draw. The win was especially sweet given that Egypt has won the continental championship seven times.

President Bola Tinubu captured the national mood perfectly. "This bronze medal surely feels good like gold," he said in a statement celebrating the team's achievement.

The victory came just three days after Nigeria lost their semifinal match to host nation Morocco in another penalty shootout. That loss dashed hopes of winning a fourth AFCON title and could have deflated the team's spirit entirely.

Instead, the Super Eagles regrouped. They showed up ready to compete for third place against one of Africa's most decorated football nations.

Why This Inspires

This marks Nigeria's ninth bronze medal in AFCON history, adding to three championships and four runner-up finishes. The consistency speaks to a football culture that values every match and every medal.

Coach and players could have treated the bronze match as a consolation prize. They could have gone through the motions after their championship dreams ended.

They didn't. The team fought through 90 minutes and kept their composure when the match went to penalties, the same format that had crushed their title hopes days earlier.

President Tinubu praised the team's "determination, persistence and the can-do spirit for which Nigeria is known." That spirit showed up when it mattered most.

The players will receive their medals Sunday in Rabat. They'll return home having reminded their country that bouncing back from setback is its own kind of victory.