Coach Eric Sekou Chelle and striker, Ademola Lookman have both praised the impactful performances of new Super Eagles forward, Akor Jerome Adams at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.
The 25-year-old Sevilla striker, making his AFCON debut, scored his first goal in the tournament during Nigeria’s emphatic 4-0 win over Mozambique in the Round of 16.
This marked Akor’s fourth appearance in the competition, and both Chelle and Lookman highlighted his significant contribution to Nigeria’s journey to the quarter-finals.
Lookman told ESPN: “Akor’s a very, very strong player. He brings different qualities to the other attackers. Obviously, his game understanding is there, he understands that sometimes he drops and sometimes he plays. He’s not just a number nine, but he pins defenders back, holds the ball up, there are different elements to his game. As long as he continues to perform like that, he will continue growing and growing, and will get better and better.”
Coach Chelle emphasized Akor’s tactical versatility and teamwork: “[Akor’s] a player who brings a lot of movement on the pitch, he brings a lot. He’s a player with many qualities, to play with others, to make them shine, and he has amazing physical capacity, it’s very impressive. I’m very happy with him, and with all of the players in the group. We’re crafting a group here, and it’s the group that makes the difference. The goals we score come from collective moments. It’s not one player who beats 10 players with a dribble and scores, these collective moves are what makes the team shine. I’m very happy with him, but it’s just one match, and we must focus on the next one.”
Akor first impressed with Nigeria’s U-20 team at the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup. However, injuries delayed his senior call-up until October 2025 when Chelle handed him his debut during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Benin, scoring as a substitute against Lesotho.
Chelle, who previously coached the Mali national team, has been following Akor’s development since his days at Montpellier, where he played alongside some Malian players.
With such praise and confidence from both coach and teammates, the energetic forward looks set to be a key asset as the Super Eagles pursue their fourth AFCON title in Morocco 2025.
Credit: thenationonlineng.net
