Moroccan international and Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi has been named the 2025 African Footballer of the Year by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), making history as the first defender to claim the award since TP Mazembe’s Bwanga Tshimen in 1973. Hakimi also becomes the first Moroccan to win Africa’s top individual football honor since Mustapha Hadji in 1998, breaking long-standing barriers in African football.
The PSG star beat Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah and Napoli striker Victor Osimhen to the prestigious accolade, capping a stellar year in which he won the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, French Ligue 1, and Coupe de France, while reaching the final of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. Hakimi also played a pivotal role in Morocco’s qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, underscoring his influence both at club and international levels.
In his acceptance speech, Hakimi dedicated the award to aspiring African footballers and those who believed in him from childhood. “It is really a proud moment for me to win this prestigious award. This trophy is not just for me, but all the strong men and women who have dreams of being a footballer in Africa. And for those that always believed in me since I was a child, I would like to thank them all,” he said.
CAF analysts hailed Hakimi’s achievement as transformative, noting the rarity of a defender being recognized in a field traditionally dominated by forwards and attacking midfielders. His victory reflects a broader shift in evaluating footballing excellence on the continent, celebrating defensive mastery alongside goal-scoring exploits
Emman Tochi ✔
Emma Tochi is Naija247news Media Northern Bureau Chief, he's based in FCT Abuja. He overseas the northern operations of this business media
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