The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), scheduled to take place in Morocco from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026, will miss some key players who have contributed immensely to their nations in the past but could not make the squads for various reasons.

Some of these star players currently play for 'top' European clubs, but their performances appear to have declined, especially when representing their countries, even though they helped them win the AFCON in past editions.

Others were dropped for reasons best known to their coaches, some related to tactical decisions and others to off-the-pitch matters.

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This GhanaWeb article outlines popular players who were dropped by their countries for the 2025 AFCON.

Vincent Aboubakar

Aboubakar, who joined Azerbaijani side Neftchi PFK in October 2025 after several months without a club, has struggled to find his best form this season, leading to his omission.

In the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, Aboubakar scored an 88th-minute goal in the final to hand Cameroon a comeback 2–1 victory against Egypt, ending his nation’s 15-year wait for a continental crown.

Nicolas Pépé

The Villarreal forward, once considered a staple of the Ivorian attack, was left out. Pépé’s absence is viewed as one of the most dramatic surprises of the announcement, raising questions about fitness, form, or tactical direction.

In the 2025/2026 season, Pépé has made 20 appearances for his club, scoring two goals and providing two assists, highlighting his dip in form.

He was part of the team that helped Ivory Coast win the 2023 AFCON when they hosted the tournament.

Simon Adingra

Promising rising star Simon Adingra was disappointed after discovering he had been dropped from the Ivory Coast squad for the 2025 AFCON despite winning the tournament in 2023.

The Sunderland winger was widely expected to be a key figure for the Elephants, making his exclusion a stunning shock to supporters and analysts alike.

Statistics show that Adingra has had limited playing time in the Premier League, having played nine matches and scored one goal with one assist in the 2025/2026 season.

Yoane Wissa

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) squad for the 2025 AFCON excluded Wissa’s name following fitness concerns.

Since Wissa completed his €67 million move to Newcastle United, he has not featured prominently as he is still recuperating from injury to allow for full recovery.

SB/JE

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