Our Reporter, Abuja
Achraf Hakimi has been named the 2025 African Footballer of the Year, edging out Mohamed Salah and Victor Osimhen to claim the continent’s top individual honour.
The PSG and Morocco defender received the award on Wednesday night at the CAF Awards ceremony held at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) in Rabat. His triumph follows a stellar year in which he played a pivotal role in PSG’s historic 2024/25 campaign, helping the club secure its first Champions League title as part of a quadruple-winning season. Morocco’s qualification for the 2026 World Cup—making them the first African team to book their ticket—further strengthened his case.
The win marks Hakimi’s first-ever African Footballer of the Year award after finishing runner-up in 2023 and 2024 to Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen.
Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah finished second, buoyed by a record-breaking Premier League season in which he clinched a fourth Golden Boot, the Playmaker of the Season award, and a sweep of top individual honours including PFA Players’ Player of the Year and Premier League Player of the Season. He also captained Egypt to World Cup qualification.
Osimhen, the 2023 winner, placed third after a strong year with Galatasaray and leading Nigeria to the CAF play-off final, where their World Cup hopes ended in a dramatic penalty shootout loss to DR Congo.
Morocco enjoyed a remarkable night overall, with Ghizlane Chebbak of Al-Hilal winning African Women’s Footballer of the Year and their Under-20 side claiming Men’s National Team of the Year following their shock World Cup victory over Argentina in Chile.
Nigeria also secured major honours, winning Women’s National Team of the Year. Brighton goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie earned her third consecutive Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year award, while Morocco’s Yassine Bounou took the men’s version.
The Best Young Player awards went to Morocco’s Othmane Maamma of Watford and Doha El Madani, who claimed the women’s award for the second straight year. Cape Verde’s Bubista was named Men’s Coach of the Year after steering the nation to World Cup qualification.
Pyramids FC were crowned Men’s Club of the Year following their historic treble, with Congolese striker Fiston Mayele also winning Men’s Interclub Player of the Year.
