AFCON 2025 : AFCON’s most decisive semi-final scorers since 2000

As the Africa Cup of Nations reaches the semi-final stage once again, attention naturally turns to the players who have historically thrived when the pressure is at its peak.

Since the year 2000, only a select group of stars have managed to leave a lasting mark in the tournament’s last-four matches, delivering goals that shaped finals and, in some cases, entire generations of African football.

At the top of the list stands Egypt’s Amr Zaki, whose three goals in AFCON semi-finals make him the most prolific scorer at this stage in the modern era. Behind him is a distinguished group of players tied on two goals each, representing the rich diversity and depth of talent across the continent. Cameroon boasts two names on the list — the powerful Patrick Mboma and the elegant Salomon Olembé — while Nigeria’s Tijjani Babangida, Côte d’Ivoire’s Gervinho, Burkina Faso’s Aristide Bancé, Morocco’s Youssef Mokhtari, and Ghana’s Mubarak Wakaso complete the roll of honor.

These names are more than just statistics; they are reminders of decisive moments when fine margins separated heartbreak from glory. From Mboma’s ruthless finishing for the Indomitable Lions to Wakaso’s thunderous strikes for the Black Stars, each goal carried the weight of a nation’s hopes and dreams.

With a new set of semi-finals about to be played, the current generation now has the chance to write their own names into this exclusive chapter of AFCON history.