Paris Saint-Germain’s defender, Achraf Hakimi, has been named the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Men’s Player of the Year at the 2025 CAF Awards on Wednesday night in Rabat, Morocco.
The 27-year-old Moroccan defender beat out a formidable shortlist that included Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen and Egyptian maestro Mohamed Salah to win the award.
This victory sees Hakimi become the first defender in 52 years to claim the prestigious accolade.
He also becomes the first Moroccan to win the award since Mustapha Hadji in 1998.
Pan-Atlantic Kompass reports that the battle for the top prize was hotly contested.
Osimhen, the 2023 winner, had another impressive season, leading the line for Galatasaray and maintaining his scoring form.
Also, Salah, a two-time former winner and perennial contender, continued to deliver world-class numbers for Liverpool.
However, the voters, a panel of CAF Technical Committee members, media professionals, coaches, and captains of the member associations, favored Hakimi’s impact and continental success.
Hakimi was an influential player on the Paris Saint-Germain side that won the Ligue 1 title, the French Cup, and the UEFA Champions League in the 2024/25 season.
On the other hand, Super Falcons striker Rasheedat Ajibade was also beaten to the women’s player of the year prize by Morocco’s Ghizlane Chebbak.
Ajibade led the Super Falcons of Nigeria to their 10th Women’s African Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title. The team defeated Morocco in the final.
Ajibade was voted woman of the match in three of the Falcons’ six games at the competition. She was also named the tournament’s best player.
However, she lost the best African female player of the year award to Chebbak.
Another Morocco international was recognised as Yassine Bounou claimed the CAF Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year award after a standout year that included being named in the Best XI at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025.
Meanwhile, Nnadozie claimed the Golden Glove as the best goalkeeper for the third year in a row at the 2025 CAF Awards.
Also, the Super Falcons of Nigeria were named the women’s national team of the year at the 2025 CAF Awards.
The nine-time World Cup participants and record 10-time African champions earned the continental honour following their outstanding performance at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), where they lifted the trophy in Morocco.
The Falcons beat strong contenders, Ghana’s Black Queens and Morocco’s Atlas Lionesses to clinch the award, reaffirming their reputation as Africa’s most successful women’s national team.
CAF Men’s Coach of the Year went to Bubista, who led Cape Verde to a maiden FIFA World Cup qualification for 2026, the greatest achievement in the country’s football history.
The CAF Women’s Coach of the Year award will be presented upon completion of the ongoing CAF Women’s Champions League Egypt 2025.
