AFCON 2025
Raveloson, Abdallah and Fontaine are among the players Nigeria must keep an eye on when the Barea arrive at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium
Nigeria begin their road to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations on Friday, but the Super Eagles will not be facing a Madagascar side that can simply be dismissed as an underdog.
The Barea arrive in Uyo with an experienced core, the momentum of a run to the CHAN final and several players capable of making a difference at both ends of the pitch. Madagascar’s 25-man squad for the opening AFCON qualifiers includes established internationals such as Rayan Raveloson, Marco Ilaimaharitra, Loïc Lapoussin, Hakim Abdallah and Thomas Fontaine.
Nigeria will naturally enter the contest with more attention on its own attacking stars, particularly with Victor Osimhen ruled out through injury. But for Eric Chelle’s team, understanding where Madagascar can hurt them could be just as important as finding a way through the Barea defence.
Here are three players Nigeria should be watching closely.
1. RAYAN RAVELOSON
If there is one Madagascar player Nigeria cannot afford to lose track of around the edge of the box, it is Rayan Raveloson.
The 29-year-old midfielder is not simply there to break up play and protect his defence. He has also developed into an important source of goals for Madagascar.
Raveloson scored five goals during Madagascar’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, including a two-goal performance in the Barea’s 4-1 victory over the Central African Republic.
That statistic immediately tells us something about the threat he brings.
Nigeria’s midfield will have to be aware of his positioning when Madagascar transition from defence into attack. If the Super Eagles commit numbers forward and lose possession, Raveloson is capable of arriving late and exploiting the space around the Nigerian penalty area.
He is also part of the experienced midfield group retained by Corentin Martins for these qualifiers, alongside Marco Ilaimaharitra and Loïc Lapoussin.
For Nigeria, the danger is therefore not limited to Madagascar’s forwards.
Raveloson can hurt you from midfield.
And considering Nigeria are expected to have more possession in Uyo, his ability to turn recoveries into quick attacking situations could become particularly important for Madagascar.
The Super Eagles will need to know where he is.
2. HAKIM ABDALLAH
Then there is Hakim Abdallah.
The 28-year-old forward gives Madagascar flexibility in the final third. He is primarily a centre-forward but can also operate from either wing, allowing Martins to change the shape of his attack depending on the situation.
That versatility could be useful against Nigeria.
If Madagascar defend for long periods, Abdallah can provide an outlet when possession is regained. Rather than allowing the Super Eagles to immediately recycle the ball and pin them back into their own half, Madagascar can look for Abdallah with quicker passes into space.
And he arrives in the national team setup with recent club experience in Romania.
Abdallah moved to UTA Arad and scored six league goals during the 2025/26 season. He has also started the 2026/27 campaign with two goals in his first ten league appearances.
His international numbers are more modest, but he has already shown that he can contribute at this level. He scored during Madagascar’s 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign and remains part of Martins’ attacking options alongside Warren Caddy, Arnaud Randrianantenaina and others.
Against Nigeria, his biggest value may not necessarily be the number of touches he gets.
It could be what he does with the space when Nigeria’s full-backs push forward.
Ola Aina, Bruno Onyemaechi and the rest of the Nigerian defence will have to be conscious of Madagascar’s ability to turn a defensive situation into a counter-attack, particularly if Abdallah is allowed to drift into wider areas.
3. THOMAS FONTAINE
At the other end of the pitch is a player who brings something completely different.
Thomas Fontaine is 35 and has been part of Madagascar’s senior setup for years. He has made more than 30 FIFA-recognised appearances for the Barea and remains part of Martins’ squad for the opening AFCON qualifiers.
Fontaine’s importance may become clearer if Nigeria dominate possession.
Madagascar are likely to spend significant periods without the ball, particularly if Nigeria establish territorial control in Uyo. That puts considerable responsibility on their defenders to remain organised, communicate and deal with crosses and movement around the penalty area.
That is where Fontaine’s experience matters.
He has played at international level across multiple qualifying campaigns and was involved in Madagascar’s recent fixtures, including the 5-2 victory over Kyrgyzstan in March and the 4-0 defeat to Morocco in June.
For Nigeria’s attack, the challenge will be to move him and the rest of Madagascar’s defensive unit around rather than simply relying on individual moments.
With Victor Osimhen unavailable, the Super Eagles may have to find different ways of creating openings.
Ademola Lookman, Moses Simon, Samuel Chukwueze and whichever striker Eric Chelle selects will therefore have an important role to play in testing Fontaine and the defenders around him.
