Hakimi, Osimhen, and Salah Nominated for 2025 African Player of the Year Awards
Morocco’s Ghizlane Chebbak and Sanaa Mssoudy, as well as Nigeria’s Rasheedat Ajibade, have been nominated for the African Women’s Player of the Year award.
Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Round of 16 - Morocco v Spain - Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan, Qatar - December 6, 2022 Morocco's Achraf Hakimi celebrates with teammates after scoring the winning penalty during the penalty shootout as Morocco progress to the quarter finals.Photo/Courtesy
By Ruth Sang
The Confederation of African Football, CAF, on Sunday named the shortlist for the high-profile 2025 African Player of the Year awards, with Moroccan Achraf Hakimi, Nigerian Victor Osimhen, and Egyptian Mohamed Salah leading the contenders for the men’s title.
In the women’s category, Morocco’s Ghizlane Chebbak and Sanaa Mssoudy, as well as Nigeria’s Rasheedat Ajibade, have been nominated for the African Women’s Player of the Year award.
The 27-year-old full-back, currently out of action through injury, enjoyed a standout campaign with PSG as the French club won a maiden UEFA Champions League crown and finished runners-up to Chelsea in the revamped FIFA Club World Cup final. Hakimi is likely to lead host nation Morocco when the Africa Cup of Nations kicks off on December 21, with the North Africans seeking a first triumph since 1976.
Two-time African Player of the Year Mohamed Salah has endured a tough period following his incredible contribution to Liverpool’s record-equalling 20th Premier League title last season. The 33-year-old forward won the 2024-25 Premier League Golden Boot with 29 goals, six clear of Alexander Isak, now his club teammate after leaving Newcastle United. Whatever Salah’s issues in recent months, his full-season performances keep him in the running for the continental honor.
Victor Osimhen from Turkish powerhouse Galatasaray has also been in outstanding form for club and country, but some of his recent performances, including a Champions League hat-trick against Ajax in Amsterdam and a two-goal display in Nigeria’s 2026 World Cup play-off victory over Gabon, fall outside the judging period, which closed on October 15.
On the women’s side, Rasheedat Ajibade was named player of the tournament after starring for Nigeria as they came from two goals behind to defeat hosts Morocco 3-2 in the final. Moroccan forward Ghizlane Chebbak, daughter of former men’s star Larbi Chebbak, finished the competition as top scorer with five goals. Her national teammate Sanaa Mssoudy has been key to fortifying Rabat club FAR, who won the CAF Women’s Champions League three years ago and reached the semi-finals again in 2025 over the weekend.
The nominees were chosen by CAF’s technical and development committee, along with coaches, former players, and selected media representatives. The official awards ceremony is scheduled to take place in Rabat, Morocco, on Wednesday, where the winners of both the men’s and women’s categories will be unveiled. The fact that the nominees are so talented and influential demonstrates that African players have excelled in their performances globally. The nominees contribute both at international and national levels.
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