African football came together under the lights of Rabat on Wednesday night for the 2025 CAF Awards, and it was Morocco that stole the show. With five major honors going to Moroccan players and teams, the evening marked a triumphant celebration of the country’s remarkable year in football—both on an individual and national level.
The spotlight belonged to Achraf Hakimi, who was named African Player of the Year. The Paris Saint-Germain full-back delivered an outstanding season and made history as the first defender ever to win the award. His victory ends a decades-long drought for Morocco in this category, last won by Moustapha Hadji back in 1998. Hakimi’s win didn’t just honor his personal excellence—it signaled Morocco’s re-emergence as a powerhouse in African football.
Another standout moment came with Yassine Bounou’s recognition as Best Goalkeeper. The Al Hilal shot-stopper shone with the Moroccan national team throughout the year and was a key figure in the Club World Cup, earning a spot in the tournament’s best eleven.
Morocco’s future was also in the spotlight. Rising star Othmane Maamma, a young striker currently at Watford, was named Best Young Male Player. Maamma had already made headlines in October when he was voted Best Player at the U20 World Cup, where Morocco triumphed over Argentina in the final. That unforgettable campaign added yet another accolade for the nation, with the U20 squad being named Men’s Team of the Year.
On the women’s side, Ghizlane Chebbak, already the top scorer in the last Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, was crowned African Female Player of the Year. As captain of the Atlas Lionesses, Chebbak has been instrumental in the team’s rise. Her goal this season also earned her a nomination for Goal of the Year, cementing her status as one of the continent’s most dynamic talents.
Outside Morocco’s sweeping success, other standout names were honored as well. DR Congo’s Fiston Mayele, who plays for Egypt’s Pyramids FC, won Interclub Player of the Year, edging out two Moroccan contenders: Mohamed Chibi and Oussama Lamlioui. In the women’s youth category, Doha Madani from AS FAR took home the Best Young Female Player award, adding another feather to Morocco’s cap.
Tanzania’s Clement Mzize, a forward for TP Mazembe, was awarded Goal of the Year for a stunning strike that beat out both Chebbak and Lamlioui for the top spot.
Elsewhere, Nigeria was named Best Women’s National Team, continuing their dominance after clinching the most recent Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. Rounding out the awards, Pyramids FC was named Men’s Club of the Year following their Champions League triumph over South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns in June.
This edition of the CAF Awards didn’t just reflect a strong year in African football—it marked Morocco’s unprecedented rise to prominence across every level of the game.
