AFCON 2025: Nigerian Man Highlights Super Eagles' "Host Nation Curse" Ahead Semi-Final vs. Morocco

• A Nigerian football fan highlighted the Super Eagles’ long history of AFCON knockout defeats against host nations
• He recalled four tournaments where Nigeria lost to host countries, describing the trend as a lingering “curse”
• Despite the record, the fan urged optimism and backed Nigeria to overcome Morocco on their home turf

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As the Super Eagles of Nigeria prepare for their AFCON 2025 semi-final against host nation Morocco, a Nigerian football fan has pointed to a troubling historical record of constant defeat.

In a video spotted by Legit.ng, the man shed light on the historical record that has seen the Super Eagles consistently falter against host nations in the tournament's knockout stages.

In the trending video, the football fan detailed four separate AFCON campaigns where Nigeria's journey was ended by the host country.

AFCON semi-finals: Fan speaks about host-nation curse

The 'curse,' as he described it, began in 1990 when Nigeria lost the final to Algeria in Algiers. The pattern continued in 2004 with a semi-final penalty shootout loss to Tunisia, a 2-1 quarter-final defeat to Ghana in 2008, and most recently, a 2-1 loss to Ivory Coast in the 2023 final.

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Summarising the trend that had spanned over three decades, he said:

"Our record against host countries at the African Cup of Nations has not been good."

With Nigeria now set to face a formidable Moroccan side on their home turf in Rabat on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, this historical pattern is a source of concern for many fans. The Atlas Lions are not only fueled by home support but are also looking to win their first AFCON title since 1976.

Despite the scary history, the fan ended his review with a passionate call for optimism. "Statistics, history, and records are in the past," he declared, using the pidgin expression, "'I had it before' is not the same as owning it."

He urged the Super Eagles to draw inspiration from their strong performances earlier in the tournament and to believe that this time, the outcome will be different.

"Behold, God is doing a new thing with you guys," he proclaimed. "This time around, Morocco will be defeated!"

Watch the X video below:

AFCON: Prophet predicts Nigeria vs Morocco match

In a similar report, a prophet named Abiri Elijah sparked a controversy on social media after forecasting an outcome for the upcoming AFCON semi-finals match.

The prediction, made in a video posted on his official Facebook account, claimed to foresee not only the winner but also the exact scoreline.

He claimed that Morocco would emerge victorious after the match, outscoring Nigeria 4-2.

In his words:

"Morocco will beat Nigeria 4-2, Nigeria park your bags before you enter the stadium. You cannot win Morocco. Nigeria will not win Morocco. So Nigeria don't worry yourself. Before you go to the field just pack your bags.

Parrot predicts AFCON semi-final winner

Legit.ng had earlier reported that a parrot trended on social media days after it predicted the AFCON quarter-final match between Nigeria and Algeria.

A video of the parrot circulated on social media after it picked a team that might win the AFCON semi-final match.

The parrot predicted the winning team between Nigeria and Morocco ahead of the match scheduled for Tuesday, January 14.

Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.