MOROCCAN football made a strong showing at the 2025 CAF Awards in Rabat, where defender Achraf Hakimi was named African Player of the Year, becoming the first defender to win the prize in 52 years.
His victory marked the highlight of Morocco’s overall dominance at the event. After finishing as runner-up in 2023 and 2024 behind Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman, the 27-year-old finally secured the continent’s top individual award.
Hakimi’s win ends Morocco’s long wait for the accolade. He is the country’s first recipient since Mustapha Hadji in 1998 and one of the few defenders to claim the honour in the modern era.
Morocco dominated the ceremony in Rabat, with Ghizlane Chebbak named Women’s Player of the Year and Yassine Bounou voted Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year.
Morocco’s football success in recent years is backed by solid performance on the global stage. The senior men’s national team became the first African and Arab country to reach the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup, doing so in Qatar 2022. Their consistent qualifying record continued as they secured a spot in the 2026 World Cup well ahead of schedule.
At the youth level, Morocco has also broken new ground. The U-20 national team won the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup, defeating Argentina in the final — the first time an Arab nation has achieved this. Meanwhile, its domestic clubs have made major strides such as Wydad AC won the CAF Champions League in 2022, beating Egypt’s Al Ahly in Casablanca.
Moroccan club RS Berkane has also secured the CAF Confederation Cup recently. It is set to host the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, marking its second time as host after a 36-year gap.
Nigeria also made its mark as Super Falcons and Brighton goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie clinched the Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year award for the third consecutive time.
The event, held on Wednesday at the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, also celebrated emerging stars. Othmane Maamma won Men’s Young Player of the Year, while Doha El Madani was named Women’s Young Player of the Year.
Cape Verde’s Bubista took home the Men’s Coach of the Year award, and Pyramids FC claimed Club of the Year.
CAF Awards 2025 – Full Winners List
Player of the Year (Men): Achraf Hakimi
Player of the Year (Women): Ghizlane Chebbak
Goalkeeper of the Year (Men): Yassine Bounou
Goalkeeper of the Year (Women): Chiamaka Nnadozie
Youth Player of the Year (Men): Othmane Maamma
Women’s Youth Player of the Year: Doha El Madani
Interclub Player of the Year: Ibrahim Mayele
Women’s Interclub Player of the Year: Shamirah Nabbadda
Coach of the Year (Men): Bubista
Club of the Year (Men): Pyramids FC
Team of the Year (Men): Morocco U-20
Team of the Year (Women): Nigeria Women’s National Team
Goal of the Year: Clement Mizize
Referee of the Year (Men): Omar Abdulkadir Artan
Referee of the Year (Women): Liban Abdulrazack
CAF Women’s Assistant Referee of the Year: Tabara Moodji
CAF Assistant Referee of the Year (Men): Liban Abdulrazack
Nurudeen Akewushola is an investigative reporter and fact-checker with The ICIR. He believes courageous in-depth investigative reporting is the key to social justice, accountability and good governance in society. You can reach him via nyahaya@icirnigeria.org and @NurudeenAkewus1 on Twitter.