Rabat, Morocco – In a historic and triumphant night for the host nation, Morocco’s footballing prowess was celebrated on the global stage as Achraf Hakimi and Ghizlane Chebbak were crowned the continent’s finest at the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards ceremony on Thursday, November 20, 2025.
The men’s award saw a long-awaited victory for right-back Achraf Hakimi, who finally clinched the 2025 African Footballer of the Year title. The 27-year-old Paris Saint-Germain star surpassed fierce competition from Egypt’s iconic captain Mohamed Salah and Nigeria’s powerful striker Victor Osimhen. His win was built on an exceptional season where he was instrumental in securing both the French Ligue 1 title and, most notably, PSG’s first-ever UEFA Champions League trophy.
This victory marks the end of a near-three-decade wait for Morocco, with Hakimi becoming the first Moroccan man to lift the prestigious award since Mustapha Hadji in 1998, having been a runner-up in both 2023 and 2024.
Completing a remarkable Moroccan double, the indomitable captain of the women’s national team, Ghizlane Chebbak, was awarded the Women’s Player of the Year. In a result that surprised many observers, Chebbak secured the honor ahead of the highly-fancied Nigerian captain Rasheedat Ajibade and her own talented Atlas Lionesses teammate, Sanaa Mssoudy.
The dual victories cement Morocco’s status as a rising footballing powerhouse, celebrating elite talent across both the men’s and women’s games on a night of unprecedented national pride at the CAF awards.
By James Kisoo
