Achraf Hakimi Crowned 2025 CAF Men’s Player of the Year as Morocco Steals the Show

Achraf Hakimi didn’t just walk into Rabat for the 2025 CAF Awards, he walked in as the man of the moment and left with the biggest prize in African football. The PSG defender was crowned CAF Men’s Player of the Year, beating heavyweights Mohamed Salah and Victor Osimhen to the award. And let’s be honest, the man earned it.

Hakimi has been on a different wavelength all year. From PSG’s historic Champions League win to sweeping almost every French domestic trophy available, he’s been a constant force on that right flank, defending, attacking, assisting, and generally stressing opposition wingers for 12 straight months. Add Morocco’s smooth run into the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, and you see why his name was written all over that trophy.

But the night wasn’t just about Hakimi. It turned into a full Moroccan takeover, or as CAF playfully called it, a Golden Night. The Atlas Lions and Lionesses practically carried half the awards home. Ghizlane Chebbak picked up the Women’s Player of the Year, Yassine Bounou won Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year, Othmane Maamma grabbed the Young Player award, and Morocco’s U20s were named National Team of the Year. If there was a scoreboard for the night, Morocco won by a landslide.

Other big wins included DR Congo’s Fiston Mayele being recognised as the top Interclub Player, while Cape Verde’s miracle-working coach Bubista took Coach of the Year after guiding his country to their first-ever World Cup. Well, deserved.

But back to Hakimi, what makes this win special is how rare it is. A defender hasn’t touched this award since 1973. That’s over five decades of forwards and midfielders monopolizing the spotlight. Hakimi broke that cycle with class, consistency, and the kind of season players dream about. Even showing up to the ceremony still nursing an injury didn’t dim the shine, the crowd knew exactly who the star was.

In a year filled with big performances and bigger storylines, Hakimi’s rise stood out. Morocco dominated the night, but he was the headline act, a defender rewriting history and giving every young African player a new blueprint of what’s possible.