Return of the Magic Number: Maghreb Rivals Gear Up for AFCON Showdown
30 December 2025
The Maghreb Trio in AFCON 2025
The Maghreb trio—Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria—have not claimed the Africa Cup of Nations title since 2019, a painful memory for the hosts of the current edition.
Morocco, hosting AFCON 2025, topped Group A with 7 points; Tunisia finished second in Group C with 4; Algeria led Group E with 6.
Knockout Stakes and History
According to Stats Foot, the Maghreb trio advanced to the knockout phase for the third time in AFCON history, following 2004 and 2019.
In the previous two editions, Maghreb sides won the title: Tunisia in 2004 and Algeria in 2019.
The 2004 final saw Tunisia beat Morocco 2-1 at the Rades stadium.
In 2019, Algeria defeated Senegal 1-0 at Cairo's International Stadium.
As the knockout rounds loom, fans on social media hype a potential Maghreb renaissance, dreaming of a final that writes a new chapter in North African football.
Ironically, the 'magic number' may just be three goals to secure a quarterfinal berth—nobody said magic was easy.
