Moroccan right-back Achraf Hakimi was crowned CAF Men’s Player of the Year at the 2025 CAF Awards, beating Victor Osimhen and Mohamed Salah, two of Africa’s biggest football stars. Despite being injured, Hakimi arrived on stage riding a knee walker to receive the award, presented by CAF President Patrice Motsepe and FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
In his speech, Hakimi said “It’s an honor for me to win this great prize. This is a prize for everyone, including children who dream to become football players in the world.”
He thanked everyone who believed in him since childhood, including His Majesty King Mohammed for developing sports infrastructure in Morocco. Hakimi also thanked PSG President Nasser Al-Khelaïfi and his teammates, and promised Moroccan fans he will give his best to win the AFCON trophy.
He also congratulated Yassine Bounou for his CAF Men’s Best Goalkeeper win and his Moroccan teammates. And finally, he thanked his family — especially his mother — and his trainers and physical therapists for supporting him during his recovery. He and for being proud to be a Moroccan player.
Voir cette publication sur Instagram
Achraf Hakimi’s stellar 2024–25 season
Hakimi’s award comes after a monster 2024–25 season with Paris Saint-Germain, where he was instrumental in winning the UEFA Champions League, Ligue 1, Coupe de France and Trophée des Champions. He was one of the top defenders in Europe in terms of attacking output: 6 goals and 4 assists in Ligue 1, 5 goals and 4 assists in the Champions League, where he was a game-changer.
Beyond his attacking numbers, Hakimi was just as important defensively, with PSG keeping 10 clean sheets and him playing over 3,400 minutes across all competitions. He made the UEFA Champions League Team of the Season, Ligue 1 Team of the Season and CAF Team of the Year and solidified his status as one of the best right-backs in the world.
PSG’s success went beyond domestic and European competitions as the club reached the FIFA Club World Cup final with Hakimi playing in all the big games. He was individually rewarded too: he won the Marc-Vivien Foé Award for best African player in Ligue 1 and finished 6th in the 2024 Ballon d’Or voting, the highest ever for an African defender.
A few weeks ago, Hakimi suffered a serious ankle injury in a Champions League game and was out for several weeks, and his AFCON 2025 participation was in question. But now, he’s active in rehab and training under PSG and national team medical staff and is determined to come back 100% soon.
With Morocco, Hakimi helped the national team qualify early for the 2026 World Cup and was part of the record 16 consecutive wins for the Atlas Lions, the longest in international football history. He was a leader and a driving force behind the team’s rise.
