Morocco and Paris Saint-Germain’s star full-back Achraf Hakimi has been crowned the 2025 African Men’s Player of the Year, topping a strong shortlist that included former winners Victor Osimhen and Mohamed Salah.
Hakimi becomes the first Moroccan since Mustapha Hadji in 1998 to capture Africa’s most prestigious individual honour, and remarkably, the first defender to win the award since TP Mazembe legend Bwanga Tshimen achieved the feat in 1973.
The dynamic right-back enjoyed an exceptional year for club and country. With PSG, he played a decisive role in their historic treble-winning campaign—lifting the Ligue 1 title, the French Cup, and the club’s first-ever UEFA Champions League trophy. Hakimi set the tone in the Champions League final against his former club Inter Milan, scoring the opener in a dominant 5-0 victory. He later helped PSG reach the final of the revamped FIFA Club World Cup, where they finished as runners-up to Chelsea.
For Morocco, Hakimi also proved vital, helping the Atlas Lions secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Yet concerns remain over whether he will recover in time for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, which Morocco is set to host.
In the women’s category, Morocco celebrated another victory as Ghizlane Chebbak was named CAF Women’s Player of the Year, beating Nigeria’s Rasheedat Ajibade to the top honour.
Another Moroccan standout, Yassine Bounou, claimed the CAF Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year award, capping off a phenomenal year highlighted by his inclusion in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Best XI. Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie extended her dominance between the posts, earning CAF Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year for the third straight year after helping the Super Falcons clinch the WAFCON title.
Cape Verde’s national team coach Bubista secured CAF Men’s Coach of the Year, rewarded for guiding his country to a historic first-ever FIFA World Cup qualification for 2026. The women’s coaching accolade will be decided after the completion of the CAF Women’s Champions League Egypt 2025.
DR Congo striker Fiston Mayele took home CAF Men’s Interclub Player of the Year, finishing as top scorer in the 2024/25 CAF Champions League and leading Pyramids to their maiden triumph in the competition. The women’s interclub winner will be announced after the Champions League finale in Egypt.
Morocco’s rising star Othmane Maamma was honoured as the CAF Men’s Young Player of the Year, following his crucial role in Morocco’s thrilling FIFA U-20 World Cup 2025 victory. Doha El Madani, also Moroccan, retained the women’s young player award, shining for AS FAR and topping the scoring charts at the 2025 CAF Women’s Futsal AFCON, where Morocco claimed the title.
Morocco’s U-20 team earned CAF Men’s National Team of the Year for their World Cup triumph, while Nigeria’s Super Falcons were named Women’s National Team of the Year. Pyramids’ continental success saw them deservedly win CAF Men’s Club of the Year, with the women’s club award pending.
The only fan-voted prize, Goal of the Year, went to Tanzania’s Clement Mzize for his spectacular long-range strike for Young Africans against TP Mazembe in the CAF Champions League.
CAF AWARDS 2025 — FULL LIST OF WINNERS
PLAYER OF THE YEAR (MEN): Achraf Hakimi (Morocco / Paris Saint-Germain)
PLAYER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN): Ghizlane Chebbak (Morocco / Al Hilal)
GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR (MEN): Yassine Bounou (Morocco / Al Hilal)
GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN): Chiamaka Nnadozie (Nigeria / Brighton & Hove Albion)
INTERCLUB PLAYER OF THE YEAR (MEN): Fiston Mayele (DR Congo / Pyramids)
YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR (MEN): Othmane Maamma (Morocco / Watford)
YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN): Doha El Madani (Morocco / AS FAR)
COACH OF THE YEAR (MEN): Bubista (Cape Verde)
NATIONAL TEAM OF THE YEAR (MEN): Morocco U-20
NATIONAL TEAM OF THE YEAR (WOMEN): Nigeria
CLUB OF THE YEAR (MEN): Pyramids (Egypt)
REFEREE OF THE YEAR (MEN): Omar Abdulkadir (Somalia)
ASSISTANT REFEREE OF THE YEAR (MEN): Liban Abdoulrazack (Djibouti)
REFEREE OF THE YEAR (WOMEN): Shamirah Nabadda (Uganda)
ASSISTANT REFEREE OF THE YEAR (WOMEN): Tabara Mbodji (Senegal)
