African Football's Finest Set for Rabat Showdown
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially announced the three finalists for the highly coveted 2025 African Men’s Player of the Year award. The shortlist, revealed on Sunday, features Moroccan defender Achraf Hakimi, Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen, and Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah. The winner will be crowned at an awards ceremony in the Moroccan capital, Rabat, on Wednesday.
Men's Category: A Trio of Titans
Achraf Hakimi, despite a current injury, had a phenomenal season with Paris Saint-Germain. The 27-year-old full-back was instrumental in PSG's historic first-ever UEFA Champions League victory and their runner-up finish to Chelsea in the expanded Club World Cup. If he recovers in time, Hakimi is set to captain host nation Morocco in the Africa Cup of Nations starting December 21, as the team aims for its first title since 1976.
Victor Osimhen, who plays for Turkish giants Galatasaray, has been in scintillating form for both his club and the Nigerian national team. However, a significant portion of his recent heroics will not be considered by the judges, as the voting deadline was October 15. This unfortunately rules out his stunning UEFA Champions League hat-trick against Ajax in Amsterdam and his two crucial goals in the Super Eagles' 4-0 demolition of Benin Republic and the 2026 World Cup play-off victory over Gabon last Thursday.
Mohamed Salah, a two-time winner of this award, is in the running again after a season where he played a key role in Liverpool equalling the record with their 20th Premier League title. Although the 33-year-old has faced some recent struggles, he clinched the 2024-25 Premier League Golden Boot by scoring an impressive 29 goals, six more than his new Liverpool teammate, Alexander Isak.
Women's Category: New Stars Emerge
In the women's category, the competition is equally fierce. The finalists are Moroccan talents Ghizlane Chebbak and Sanaa Mssoudy, alongside Nigerian forward Rasheedat Ajibade.
Rasheedat Ajibade, a star for Paris Saint-Germain, was voted the best player at this year's Africa Women’s Cup of Nations. She inspired the Nigerian team to a spectacular comeback, overcoming a two-goal deficit to defeat hosts Morocco 3-2 in a thrilling final.
Ghizlane Chebbak, who is based in Saudi Arabia and is the daughter of former Moroccan men's star Larbi Chebbak, finished as the tournament's leading scorer with five goals.
Sanaa Mssoudy, another Moroccan forward, has been a driving force behind her club, FAR Rabat, establishing itself as one of Africa's strongest teams. FAR won the CAF Women’s Champions League three years ago and just this weekend reached the semi-finals of the 2025 edition.
The nominees for these prestigious awards were selected by a panel comprising members of the CAF technical and development committees, coaches, former football stars, and selected media representatives. All eyes will now be on Rabat to see who will be crowned the kings and queens of African football.
