Morocco captain and Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi was crowned CAF Footballer of the Year at the 2025 CAF Awards held on Wednesday in Morocco.
Hakimi, who played a key role in Morocco’s qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, beat Liverpool and Egypt star Mohamed Salah, as well as Nigeria and Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen, to claim the prestigious award.
Neither Salah—who led Liverpool to the Premier League title last season—nor Osimhen travelled to Morocco for the ceremony. Their absence made it clear they anticipated Hakimi would win the honour.
“I want to thank my family, my mother; these are the most important people in my life,” Hakimi said during his acceptance speech.
“I’m proud to be a Moroccan player. Long live Morocco.”
Hakimi succeeds Nigeria and Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman, who won the award in 2024. He received the trophy in the presence of PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, who attended the ceremony.
Hakimi helped PSG win the UEFA Champions League last season, thumping Inter Milan 5-0, the game he scored, as well as leading the French champions to the FIFA Club World Cup, where they lost to Chelsea.
Meanwhile, unlike last year—when South Africa claimed several awards, including CAF Footballer of the Year (Based in Africa) and CAF Goalkeeper of the Year, won by Ronwen Williams—this year brought no accolades for the nation.
Williams, who was once again nominated for Goalkeeper of the Year, lost out to Morocco’s Yassine Bounou.
The African Footballer of the Year (Based in Africa) award went to Fiston Mayele, who played a pivotal role in helping Pyramids FC win the CAF Champions League last season.
The Congolese striker was instrumental as the Egyptian club eliminated Orlando Pirates in the semi-final and defeated Mamelodi Sundowns in the final.
The list of CAF award winners:
- Men’s African Footballer of the Year: Achraf Hakimi (Morocco)
- Women’s African Footballer of the Year: Ghizlane Chebbak (Morocco)
- Men’s Club of the Year: Pyramids
- Men’s Coach of the Year: Bubista (Cape Verde)
- Women’s National Team of the Year: Nigeria
- Men’s National Team of the Year: Morocco U20
- Men’s Inter-club Player of the Year: Fiston Mayele (Pyramids)
- Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Nigeria)
- Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year: Yassine Bounou (Morocco)
- Women’s Young Player of the Year: Doha El Madani (Morocco)
- Men’s Young Player of the Year: Othmane Maamma (Morocco)
- Goal of the Year: Clement Mzize
- Women’s Referee of the Year: Samirah Nabadda (Uganda)
- Women’s Assistant Referee of the Year: Tabara Mbodji (Senegal)
- Men’s Referee of the Year: Omar Abdulkadir (Somalia)
- Men’s Assistant Referee of the Year: Liban Abdoulrazack (Djibouti)
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