As the group stage of the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), held from 5–26 July 2025 in Morocco, concludes, the competition for the coveted Golden Boot has intensified. Morocco’s captain Ghizlane Chebbak and Senegal’s strike sensation Nguenar Ndiaye are tied atop the leaderboard with four goals each, setting the stage for a captivating showdown as the tournament progresses into knockout play ESPN.com+Confédération Africaine de Football+Premium Times Nigeria.
1. Group Stage Recap: Golden Boot Leaders
1.1 Ghizlane Chebbak (Morocco – 4 goals)
Chebbak, aged 34, has been a standout performer throughout her international career and continues to shine at WAFCON 2024. She delivered a hat‑trick in Morocco’s 4–2 group stage victory over DR Congo — her first ever in WAFCON history — and added another goal in just two appearances Confédération Africaine de Football Premium Times Nigeria. This underscores her role not only as a captain but also as Morocco’s leading scoring threat.
Her achievements extend beyond this tournament: Chebbak was the top scorer and Player of the Tournament at WAFCON 2022, and she has since earned recognition as Morocco’s most capped female international and IFFHS CAF Best Player of the Year in 2022 .
1.2 Nguenar Ndiaye (Senegal – 4 goals)
Senegal’s forward Ndiaye, aged 30, plays her club football with Bourges Foot 18 in France and has emerged as Senegal’s principal attacking outlet. She scored two goals (a brace) against DR Congo in a 4–0 win and repeated the feat in Senegal’s 3–2 match with Zambia ESPN.com+4ESPN.com+4Sports Village Square+4. Ndiaye began her international career in 2018 and quickly became Senegal’s top scorer during 2022 WAFCON qualifiers .
1.3 Ghana’s Barbra Banda and Racheal Kundananji (Zambia – 3 goals each)
Close behind the leaders are Zambia’s prolific duo:
- Barbra Banda scored the tournament’s fastest goal in just 58 seconds during Zambia’s opener versus Morocco, and added more in the win over Senegal IconeMarque+7Premium Times Nigeria+7Confédération Africaine de Football+7.
- Racheal Kundananji scored in every group match, combining pace, strength, and finishing ESPN.com+15Confédération Africaine de Football+15Premium Times Nigeria+15.
1.4 Other Noteworthy Goal‑Scorers (2 goals)
Just behind the frontrunners are:
- Mama Diop (Senegal)
- Chinwendu Ihezuo (Nigeria)
- Alice Kusi (Ghana)
- Yasmine Mrabet (Morocco)
Each of them scored two goals in the group stage ESPN.com+11Confédération Africaine de Football+11Premium Times Nigeria+11.
2. Top Scorers Table After Group Stage
Below is the current standings for the Golden Boot:
| Player | Nation | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| Ghizlane Chebbak | Morocco | 4 |
| Nguenar Ndiaye | Senegal | 4 |
| Barbra Banda | Zambia | 3 |
| Racheal Kundananji | Zambia | 3 |
| Mama Diop | Senegal | 2 |
| Chinwendu Ihezuo | Nigeria | 2 |
| Alice Kusi | Ghana | 2 |
| Yasmine Mrabet | Morocco | 2 |
This ranking aligns across multiple sources, including CAF, Premium Times, Sports Village Square, and Daily Post Nigeria AfricaFoot.com+4Premium Times Nigeria+4Confédération Africaine de Football+4Confédération Africaine de Football+6Confédération Africaine de Football+6Sports Village Square+6.
3. Player Profiles & Impact
3.1 Ghizlane Chebbak – Morocco’s Maestro
- Experience & pedigree: With 17 years in Morocco’s senior team, Chebbak has become a football icon +14+14Confédération Africaine de Football+14.
- Clutch goals: Her hat‑trick against DR Congo came on 9 July 2025 Sports Village Square+5+5Confédération Africaine de Football+5.
- Leadership: As captain and a central figure, she orchestrates Morocco’s attack.
- Awards: She took home the Golden Boot and Best Player award in WAFCON 2022 AfricaFoot.com+10+10Daily Post Nigeria+10.
3.2 Nguenar Ndiaye – Senegal’s Finisher
- Braces under pressure: Ndiaye scored twice in both 4–0 and 3–2 matches Awijare News+13Confédération Africaine de Football+13Confédération Africaine de Football+13.
- Resilient journey: She began playing football in Senegal, climbed through adversity, and now plays professionally in France The Guardian.
- Efficiency: She recorded four goals from four starts, taking 16 shots, per ESPN stats Awijare News.
3.3 Zambia’s Dynamic Duo
- Barbra Banda: Scored the tournament’s fastest goal in 58 seconds and followed up with a brace vs Senegal +8Confédération Africaine de Football+8Confédération Africaine de Football+8.
- Racheal Kundananji: Scored in all group matches, showing consistency and finishing prowess OneFootball+7Confédération Africaine de Football+7Premium Times Nigeria+7.
3.4 Frontrunners from Other Nations
- Mama Diop: Strong aerial presence allows Senegal to remain competitive The Guardian+9Confédération Africaine de Football+9Sports Village Square+9.
- Chinwendu Ihezuo: Nigeria’s sharp forward has two goals and draws attention IconeMarque+7Premium Times Nigeria+7OneFootball+7.
- Alice Kusi and Yasmine Mrabet: Delivering crucial strikes mid‑table Daily Post Nigeria+2Confédération Africaine de Football+2Premium Times Nigeria+2.
4. Golden Boot 2024: Who Has the Edge?
4.1 Tournament Progress & Schedule
Chebbak and Ndiaye achieved their tallies early in the group stage. As they move into the knockout rounds, extra matches could offer chances to extend their leads Awijare News+14+14OneFootball+14.
4.2 Zambia’s Combined Threat
With two attackers at three goals each, Zambia can boost their overall chances. If both players remain fit and motivated, they could be serious contenders.
4.3 Experience vs Momentum
- Chebbak offers depth, leadership, and composure from years of international football.
- Ndiaye, meanwhile, is proving her current form matches her confidence and fitness, delivering braced performances in crucial games.
4.4 Knockout Conditions & Matchups
Quarter-finals and beyond bring strategic challenges. Defensive strengths of opponents, tactical setups, and match schedules could shape goal opportunities for the top contenders.
4.5 Dark Horses
Players like Ihezuo, Diop, Kusi, Mrabet may not be leading the table now—but a standout knockout performance can propel them into contention.
5. Broader Context & Tournament Challenges
5.1 Developmental Barriers
The Guardian highlighted that many African teams lack professional leagues, face unpaid fees, and depend on underdeveloped infrastructure. WAFCON’s venues were often secondary stadiums due to men’s tournament preparations Sports Village Square+1ESPN.com+1+13The Guardian+13ESPN.com+13.
5.2 Cultural Significance
Despite societal challenges—such as LGBTQI+ discrimination and lack of formal support—the tournament fuels hope and inspiration. Spontaneous singing by South Africa’s players demonstrated passion and resilience The Guardian.
5.3 Nigerian Perspective
Nigeria, despite earning a quarter-final spot, has yet to make a statistical impact. Their forwards have underperformed against expectations, although Rasheedat Ajibade leads the tournament in chances created Awijare News+1IconeMarque+1.
6. Tournament Statistics & Records
- Total matches: 22
- Total group stage goals: 54 +15+15Awijare News+15
- Hat-tricks: Chebbak recorded WAFCON’s only hat-trick so far ESPN.com+15Premium Times Nigeria+15.
- Chebbak achievements: Defending Golden Boot winner, top scorer in 2022 OneFootball.
7. Knockout Stage Outlook
7.1 Quarter-Finals & Semi-Finals
Upcoming matches will be decisive. Morocco faces Ghana, and Senegal faces South Africa in semi-final permutations. Each fixture is a chance for Golden Boot contenders to enhance their goal tallies Sports Village Square+4Daily Post Nigeria+4The Guardian+4.
7.2 Key Matchups to Watch
- Chebbak vs Strong Defense: Will she break through more structured backlines?
- Ndiaye’s Momentum: Can she maintain efficiency under knockout pressure?
- Zambia’s Cohesion: Can Banda/Kundananji both deliver consistently?
- Sneaky Runners-up: Ihezuo, Diop, Kusi and Mrabet need breakthrough performances at knockout stage to claim honors.
7.3 Potential Finalists
As finalists emerge, the Golden Boot winner will likely be among them—given extra matches and goal chances.
8. Further Reading
- CAF official news: WAFCON 2024 Golden Boot Race Heats Up… +15Confédération Africaine de Football+15Confédération Africaine de Football+15
- The Guardian on WAFCON context and challenges The Guardian
- ESPN profile on Ndiaye’s tournament stats +3ESPN.com+3Premium Times Nigeria+3
- OneFootball analysis: Chebbak and Ndiaye battle for top scorer title OneFootball
- Daily Post Nigeria: WAFCON 2024 Top Scorers Ahead of Semi‑Finals Daily Post Nigeria+1OneFootball+1
9. Conclusion
The WAFCON 2024 Golden Boot race remains wide open. Ghizlane Chebbak’s experience and leadership shine, but Nguenar Ndiaye’s current momentum and efficiency make her a formidable rival. Zambia’s dynamic duo could upset the frontrunners, and other shrewd players might burst through in the final stages. Over the next two weeks, each goal will weigh more heavily: one explosive quarter-final or semi-final performance may determine who ultimately claims African women’s football’s greatest individual honor.
As the knockout rounds continue, football fans should watch the evolving race closely—because in tournaments like WAFCON, fortunes can shift in a single match.
Enjoy the passion, drama, and talent of WAFCON 2024. May the best striker triumph!
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