Paris Saint-Germain right-back Achraf Hakimi has been honored as the 2025 African Footballer of the Year, winning the prestigious award at the CAF Awards ceremony in Rabat.
Hakimi made history by becoming the first defender in 52 years to claim the top African football accolade — the last being Zaire’s Bwanga Tshimen in 1973. He beat off stiff competition from Mohamed Salah and Victor Osimhen, who finished behind him in the voting.
His remarkable 2025 campaign included a continental treble with PSG: UEFA Champions League, Ligue 1, Coupe de France, and the UEFA Super Cup. Hakimi, 27, said the award is not just for him but for “all the strong men and women who have dreams of being a footballer in Africa” and thanked those who believed in him since his childhood. PSG
In addition to his personal triumph, Hakimi’s win was a proud moment for Morocco, as he became the first Moroccan to win the award since Mustapha Hadji in 1998.
