The continent’s finest football icons converged in Marrakech for a dazzling celebration of African brilliance, as the Confederation of African Football (CAF) officially unveiled the 2025 CAF Awards winners. The ceremony, marked by glamour and electric anticipation, crowned the standout performers whose exploits shaped the rhythm of African football throughout the year, and it became a night decisively dominated by Morocco.
Hakimi Crowned African Player of the Year
Moroccan superstar Achraf Hakimi clinched the coveted African Player of the Year Award, outshining finalists Mohamed Salah and Victor Osimhen. Hakimi’s extraordinary campaign with Paris Saint-Germain, highlighted by 11 goals, 16 assists, and his crucial role in PSG’s historic treble, established him as the continent’s most influential footballer of the year.
His triumph is not only a personal milestone but also a symbolic victory for defenders across Africa, reaffirming that brilliance in football transcends traditional positions.
Ghizlane Chebbak Leads the Women’s Front
In the women’s category, Morocco’s Ghizlane Chebbak was honoured as the African Female Player of the Year, following a season defined by leadership, consistency, and technical flair that elevated her status as one of the continent’s elite footballers.
Full List of 2025 CAF Award Winners
African Player of the Year: Achraf Hakimi
African Female Player of the Year: Ghizlane Chebbak
Interclubs Player of the Year: Fiston Mayele
Best Goalkeeper: Yassine Bounou
Best Female Goalkeeper: Chiamaka Nnadozie
Best Young Player: Othmane Maamma
Best Young Female Player: Doha El Madani
Coach of the Year: Pedro Leitão Brito Bubista
Men’s Team of the Year: Morocco U-20
Women’s Team of the Year: Nigeria
Club of the Year: Pyramids FC
Best Men’s Referee: Omar Artan
Best Women’s Referee: Shamirah Nabadda
CAF Outstanding Award — Honouring Visionary Leadership
One of the evening’s most symbolic highlights was the conferment of the CAF Outstanding Award to three distinguished African Heads of State:
William Ruto, President of Kenya
Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of Tanzania
The honour recognizes their exceptional contributions to advancing football infrastructure, fostering youth development, and championing the sport as a force for unity and continental progress.
Tanzania’s Clément Mzize earned the CAF Goal of the Year Award for a stunning strike that captivated fans across Africa, etching his name among the continent’s most creative finishers.
The 2025 ceremony will be remembered as one of Morocco’s most triumphant nights on the continental stage, with the nation sweeping multiple categories and consolidating its rising footballing stature. From star players to young prodigies, the awards reflected the depth and dynamism of African football’s present and its boundless future.