The Super Eagles of Nigeria secured the bronze medal at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025, triumphing over Egypt with a 4-2 victory in a tense penalty shootout. The third-place playoff, held in Casablanca, saw both teams make significant changes to their starting lineups following their semi-final defeats. Notably, Nigeria's initial eleven did not include key players such as Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, and Alex Iwobi.

The match itself was a tightly contested affair, with few clear opportunities for either side to break the deadlock during the 90 minutes. Nigeria thought they had found the back of the net through a combined effort from Akor Adams and Paul Onuachu, but the goal was subsequently disallowed after a VAR review. The review indicated that Onuachu had elbowed an Egyptian defender before scoring, an incident that also earned the striker a yellow card. Despite much endeavor from both teams, particularly Nigeria pressing higher in the second half, no final product emerged, with Raphael Onyedika’s tame shot being Nigeria’s closest attempt from outside the area.

With the score remaining level at the final whistle, the game proceeded directly to a penalty shootout. The shootout began with a setback for Nigeria as Fisayo Dele-Bashiru’s opening kick was saved. However, goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali quickly turned the tide, delivering crucial saves to deny two prominent Egyptian players, Mohamed Salah and Omar Mammoush. Nwabali's heroics provided the platform for Nigeria's success. Ademola Lookman, who had been absent from the starting lineup, came on to coolly convert the decisive winning penalty, sealing the bronze medal for Nigeria.

This victory marks Nigeria's first triumph in a penalty shootout in three attempts, offering some solace after their semi-final loss via the same method. Furthermore, it extended Nigeria’s record to a remarkable ninth AFCON bronze medal, solidifying their consistent performance in the tournament.