- Safiu Kehinde
It was all Moroccans night at the 2025 Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards as the Atlas Lions’ defender, Achraf Hakimi, emerged African best player of the year.
Hakimi who helped Morocco in securing the 2026 FIFA World Cup ticket was announced winner of the prestigious award at the North African country’s capital, Rabat.
The Paris Saint Germaine (PSG) player edged past Egypt’s Mohammed Salah and the Super Eagles of Nigeria’s talisman, Victor Osimehn, to win the award.
However, the Moroccans heist at the CAF Awards also advanced to women’s category where the Atlas Lioness captain, Ghizlane Chebbak, clinched the African Women’s best player of the year.
Chebbak who led Morocco to 2024 WAFCON final against the Super Falcons of Nigeria swooped the award ahead of her teammate, Sanaa Mssoudy, and the Super Falcons captain, Rasheedat Ajibade.
Also winning big at the event was the Morocco’s U-20 team whose FIFA World Cup triumph saw them emerge as the best men’s national team of the year- an award they cliched ahead of their senior national team and Cape Verde.