Five Players to Watch in the 2025/26 TotalEneriges CAF Champions League Group Stage
As anticipation builds ahead of the start of the Group Stage of the 2025/26 season TotalEnergies CAF Champions League, all eyes are turning to the stars expected to define this season’s campaign.
The road to Africa’s most prestigious club trophy has already delivered moments of brilliance, but the group stage — where the continent’s giants collide — promises an even higher level of intensity and drama.
From Cairo to Casablanca, Pretoria to Rabat, the tournament’s best talents are ready to showcase the strength and diversity of African football.
This year’s line-up blends familiar names with new faces — a mix of proven match-winners and emerging stars eager to leave their mark on the continental stage.
With powerhouses like Al Ahly, Mamelodi Sundowns, Espérance, and Pyramids FC all in contention, individual brilliance could prove decisive.
Here are five standout players to watch as the 2025/26 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League group stage kicks off — each capable of shaping the destiny of their clubs and lighting up Africa’s biggest football stage.
- Fiston Mayele – Pyramids FC (Egypt)
Few strikers have had a more remarkable year than Fiston Mayele. The Congolese goal machine topped the scoring charts in last season’s CAF Champions League and carried that momentum into the FIFA Intercontinental Cup, where his hat-trick against Al Ahli Saudi captured global attention. A ruthless finisher blessed with pace, power, and precision, Mayele also netted the decisive goal in Pyramids’ CAF Super Cup triumph, confirming his reputation as a big-game player. Already off the mark with three goals in this year’s qualifiers, he’s chasing more silverware — and remains among the frontrunners for CAF Player of the Year and Interclub Player of the Year honours.
2. Oussama Lamlioui – RS Berkane (Morocco)
Oussama Lamlioui, the spearhead of RS Berkane, continues to shine as one of Africa’s most consistent scorers. After topping the charts in both the CAF Confederation Cup and the CHAN tournament last season, the Moroccan forward has proven himself a master of movement and composure in pressure moments. Berkane are now aiming to translate their Confederation Cup dominance into Champions League success — and Lamlioui’s sharpness in front of goal will be central to that mission. With three goals already in the preliminary rounds and multiple CAF Awards nominations, he’s fast becoming one of Morocco’s most feared attacking talents.
3. Florian Danho – Espérance de Tunis (Tunisia)
A shrewd signing from Denmark’s Randers FC, Florian Danho has wasted no time making his mark in North Africa. The French-Ivorian winger’s mix of pace, flair, and directness has injected new life into Espérance de Tunis’s attack. In just a handful of appearances, he’s scored twice in four league games and added two more in the Champions League qualifiers — proof that he’s settling in seamlessly. Valued at around USD 1.2 million, Danho looks every inch a rising star and could be the breakout name of this season’s tournament if his early form continues.
4. Nuno Miguel Santos – Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
The arrival of Nuno Miguel Santos from Portugal’s Vitória Guimarães underscores Mamelodi Sundowns’ ambition to dominate on every front. A former Portuguese youth international, Santos brings tactical discipline, European experience, and creative flair to a team already loaded with talent. His ability to dictate tempo and unlock tight defenses gives the South African champions a fresh attacking edge as they mount another charge for continental supremacy.
5. Emam Ashour – Al Ahly SC (Egypt)
Dynamic, intelligent, and technically gifted, Emam Ashour stands out as one of Africa’s most complete midfielders. After an impressive 2024/25 campaign — where he tallied five goals and two assists in the Champions League — Ashour has firmly established himself as the heartbeat of Al Ahly’s midfield. His relentless energy and knack for scoring in crucial matches make him indispensable as the Red Devils pursue yet another CAF title. A nomination for Interclub Player of the Year only further solidifies his status among the continent’s elite.