Achraf Hakimi has been named the 2025 CAF Men’s Player of the Year, becoming the first full-back in 52 years to win African football’s biggest individual prize.
The Paris Saint-Germain and Morocco star claimed the award at a ceremony in Rabat on November 19, 2025, beating Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah and Galatasaray’s Victor Osimhen.
Hakimi, 27, played a starring role as PSG won the Champions League, Ligue 1, Coupe de France, and Trophée des Champions in 2024–25. He contributed 11 goals and 8 assists across all competitions, earned a place in the UEFA Champions League Team of the Season, and finished sixth in the 2025 Ballon d’Or voting.
Despite an ankle injury that forced him to arrive at the ceremony on an electric scooter, Hakimi delivered an emotional speech, thanking his family, teammates, PSG, and King Mohammed VI. He ended by promising Morocco fans he would “give everything” to win the Africa Cup of Nations next month.
The night belonged to Morocco: Yassine Bounou won Goalkeeper of the Year, Othmane Maamma took Young Player of the Year, and Ghizlane Chebbak became the first Moroccan woman to be named Women’s Player of the Year.
Hakimi’s triumph ends Nigeria’s recent dominance of the award and confirms his status as one of the world’s best full-backs—and now, officially, Africa’s finest player.
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