Achraf Hakimi has been named the African Player of the Year for 2025 at the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards held in Rabat.
This marks the first time Hakimi, the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG)
vice-captain and Moroccan international, has won this prestigious award. He is the first Moroccan to win the title since Mustapha Hadji in 1998 and the first defender to claim it in 52 years, since Bwanga Tshimen in 1973.
Hakimi received the honor ahead of strong contenders Mohamed Salah (Liverpool, Egypt) and Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray, Nigeria), favored by a majority of sports journalists, coaches, captains, and African football experts voting across the continent.
This award caps an extraordinary 2025 season for Hakimi, who played a crucial role in PSG's historic first-ever UEFA Champions League victory. He also contributed to PSG winning Ligue 1, the Coupe de France, the UEFA Super Cup, and reaching the FIFA Club World Cup final under coach Luis Enrique. Hakimi's performances earned him spots in the Ligue 1 and Champions League teams of the season, along with the FIFPRO World XI of the year. In club competition this season, he has already notched two goals and three assists in 14 matches.
On the international stage, Hakimi captained Morocco's Atlas Lions and was instrumental in helping his nation qualify for the 2026 World Cup, providing three assists in the qualifying campaign. Morocco also broke the world record for the longest winning streak in international football, surpassing 15 consecutive victories with Hakimi as captain since late 2024.
Hakimi expressed immense pride in receiving the trophy, thanking his PSG teammates and staff, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, and Moroccan supporters. His CAF award is a recognition of his tremendous achievements and contribution to African football, solidifying his status as one of the best defenders in the world and a rising icon for both his club and country.
Additional honors at the CAF Awards included Ghizlane Chebbak being named CAF Women's Player of the Year, the first Moroccan woman to claim the award, and Yassine Bounou receiving the CAF Men's Goalkeeper of the Year award. The ceremony highlighted Morocco's golden year in African football.
