On Wednesday in Rabat, Achraf Hakimi went down in African football history as the recipient of the 2025 CAF Men’s Player of the Year award – the first defender in 52 years to be given this honor. The PSG winger took the spectacular award ahead of Mohamed Salah and Victor Osimhen, making it to just one defender since 1973 when Zaire’s Bwanga Tshimen was the last to do so and also the first Moroccan after Mustapha Hadji in 1998.
The 27-year-old was key for PSG in their truimph in the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, Ligue 1, Coupe de France, and also made it to the FIFA Club World Cup final where they were beaten by Chelsea. He was equally important in leading Morocco to the 2026 World Cup.
“It’s a very special moment for me,” Hakimi stated. “This award is for all those who believed in me.”
The entire event was a festival of Morocco with Ghizlane Chebbak grabbing the CAF Women’s Player of the Year accolade and Yassine Bounou awarded Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year.
Chiamaka Nnadozie from Nigeria took the Women’s Goalkeeper title for the third consecutive year while on the other hand, Cape Verde coach Bubista became the Coach of the Year after leading his team to a historic 2026 World Cup qualification.
Besides that, the major winners were Fiston Mayele (Men’s Interclub Player), Othmane Maamma (Men’s Young Player), and Morocco’s U20 squad, crowned Men’s National Team of the Year.
