Achraf Hakimi has done what no defender has done in over half a century he’s been named the 2025 CAF African Player of the Year. The Paris Saint-Germain right-back beat heavyweights Mohamed Salah and Victor Osimhen at the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards in Rabat, Morocco, today.
Softfootball reports that Hakimi becomes the first defender to claim the accolade since Zaire’s Bwanga Tshimen in 1973, marking a historic moment for African football and for defensive players who often go unnoticed.
The Moroccan star’s triumph caps a sensational season with PSG, where he helped the club secure a historic quadruple: Ligue 1, Coupe de France, UEFA Champions League, and UEFA Super Cup.
Hakimi’s impact was felt at both ends of the pitch: he netted 11 goals, provided 16 assists, and made history by scoring the opening goal in the Champions League final against Inter Milan, a first for a Moroccan player in that stage. His leadership as Morocco captain and his all-around contributions solidified him as the continent’s most complete player.
No wonder Softfootball ranked him amongst the best top 10 defenders in the world. This win also ends a 27-year wait for Morocco, with Hakimi becoming the first Moroccan to lift the CAF Player of the Year since Mustapha Hadji in 1998.
Traditionally, the award favours forwards and attacking midfielders, making Hakimi’s achievement even more remarkable. His style, a modern attacking full-back with defensive discipline, is redefining what it means to dominate from the back.
CAF made the announcement official with a video uploaded via the federation’s official X account.
Watch the video below:
Hakimi had been runner-up in the previous two editions, losing to Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman in 2024 and Victor Osimhen in 2023. Entering this year’s ceremony as the favourite and ranking sixth in the 2025 Ballon d’Or (the highest finish for a defender), he was clearly destined for the honour.
Morocco enjoyed a sweep at the awards gala. Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou claimed CAF Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year, while Ghizlane Chebbak took CAF Women’s Player of the Year, becoming the first Saudi-based African woman to win. The Moroccan women’s national team was named Women’s National Team of the Year, and Mohamed Ouahbi won Men’s Coach of the Year after leading Morocco U20 to a FIFA U-20 World Cup victory in Chile.
Salah and Osimhen both had outstanding seasons, Salah with 29 Premier League goals for Liverpool and Osimhen winning a domestic double with Galatasaray, but it was Hakimi’s combination of consistency, leadership, and historic Champions League final goal that sealed the award.
