Rabat– The International Sports Press Association (AIPS) unveiled on Thursday, November 27, its nominees for the prestigious “Champions of 2025” awards, recognizing the world’s top athletes and teams across multiple sports.
Moroccan national team captain Achraf Hakimi is listed among the nominees in the “Best Male Athlete” category.
Hakimi will compete with some of the sport’s most prominent figures, including world No. 1 tennis player Carlos Alcaraz, 2025 Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé, pole vault legend and current world record holder Armand Duplantis — who has improved his own record 13 times — American sprinter and eight-time world champion Noah Lyles, four-time Tour de France winner Tadej Pogačar, and four-time Formula 1 World Champion Max Verstappen.
Hakimi enjoyed a dream 2024–2025 season, winning a quadruple of Ligue 1, the Champions League, Coupe de France, and Trophée des Champions. Just days ago, he also became the fifth African player in history to be awarded the African Ballon d’Or, further cementing his place among the continent’s footballing elite.
Morocco’s U20 national team, the Atlas Cubs, are also in contention, nominated in the “Best Team” category following their World Cup triumph in Chile. They will face competition from other globally recognized teams, including the South African rugby team the Springboks, reigning European champions Paris Saint-Germain, Formula 1 constructor champions McLaren, Italy’s Davis Cup-winning tennis team, and Major League Baseball world champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Voting for the awards is open to all journalists holding an AIPS membership card and will remain open until December 29, when the winners across all categories will be announced.
Hakimi recently made history by winning the African Ballon d’Or, becoming only the fifth African player ever to receive the prestigious award. This accolade recognizes him as the continent’s best footballer for the year, highlighting his exceptional performances and consistency both at the club and international levels.
