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Achraf Hakimi and Mohamed Salah among stars nominated for African Player of the Year

Updated
Hakimi with the Champions League trophy
Hakimi with the Champions League trophyMarco Canoniero / Alamy / Profimedia

Paris Saint-Germain’s Achraf Hakimi, Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, Borussia Dortmund’s Serhou Guirassy, and Galatasaray’s Victor Osimhen have been named among the ten finalists for the 2025 African Player of the Year award.

According to the list released on Wednesday by the Confederation of African Football, the quartet will vie for the prestigious award at the CAF Awards ceremony. 

Other nominees include Cameroon international Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa (Napoli), Gabon star  Denis Bouanga (Los Angeles FC), Senegal’s Pape Matar Sarr (Tottenham Hotspur) and Fiston Mayele, who represents the Congolese national team and Pyramids.

Rounding out the list are Morocco’s Oussama Lamlioui (Renaissance Berkane) and Senegal and Everton star Iliman Ndiaye. 

Unfortunately, reigning African Player of the Year Ademola Lookman did not make the shortlist. CAF further clarified that the awards will recognise performances from the period between January 6th, 2025 and October 15th, 2025.

A panel of experts comprising members of the CAF Technical and Development Committee, seasoned coaches, CAF Legends, and selected media representatives shortlisted ten nominees in each category, based on their performances across all competitions.

CAF Awards Nominations - Men

Men's Player of the Year

Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa (Napoli & Cameroon), Denis Bouanga (Los Angeles FC & Gabon), Serhou Guirassy (Borussia Dortmund & Guinea), Achraf Hakimi (Paris St-Germain & Morocco), Oussama Lamlioui (Renaissance Berkane), Fiston Mayele (Pyramids & DR Congo), Iliman Ndiaye (Everton & Senegal), Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray & Nigeria), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool & Egypt), Pape Matar Sarr (Tottenham Hotspur & Senegal).

Young Player of the Year

Asharaf Tapsoba (Burkina Faso/Real du Faso), Alynho Haidara (Cote d’Ivoire/ Mainz 05 Jacqueville), Noah Sadiki (DR Congo/Sunderland), Abdellah Ouazane (Morocco/Ajax), Houssam Essadak (Morocco/US Touarga), Othmane Maamma (Morocco/Watford), Daniel Bameyi (Nigeria/Primorje), Momoh Kamara (Sierra Leone/Minnesota United), Mbekezeli Mbokazi (South Africa/Orlando Pirates), Tylon Smith (South Africa/Queens Park Rangers)

Men's Goalkeeper of the Year

Yassine Bounou (Al Hilal & Morocco), Aymen Dahmen (CS Sfaxien & Tunisia), Marc Diouf (TP Mazembe & Senegal), Edouard Mendy (Al-Ahli & Senegal), Munir Mohamedi (RS Berkane & Morocco), Stanley Nwabali (Chippa Utd & Nigeria), Andre Onana (Trabzonspor & Cameroon), Ahmed El Shenawy (Pyramids & Egypt), Vozinha (Chaves & Cape Verde), Ronwen Williams (Mamelodi Sundowns & South Africa).

Men’s Interclub Player of the Year

Ismael Belkacemi (Algeria/Al Ahli Tripoli), Blati Toure (Burkina Faso/Pyramids FC), Issoufou Dayo (Burkina Faso/RS Berkane), Fiston Mayele (DR Congo/Pyramids), Ahmed Samy (Egypt/Pyramids), Emam Ashour (Egypt/Al Ahly), Ibrahim Adel (Egypt/Pyramids), Mohamed Hrimat (Morocco/AS FAR), Mohamed Chibi (Morocco/Pyramids), Oussama Lamlioui (Morocco/RS Berkane), Shomari Kapombe (Tanzania/Simba)

Men's Coach of the Year

Bubista (Cape Verde), Moine Chaabani (Renaissance Berkane), Hossam Hassan (Egypt), Krunoslav Jurcic (Pyramids), Mohamed Ouahbi (Morocco U20), Romuald Rakotondrabe (Madagascar), Walid Regragui (Morocco), Tarik Sektioui (Morocco U23), Pape Thiaw (Senegal), Sami Trabelsi (Tunisia).

Men's National Team of the Year

Algeria, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Morocco U20, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia.

CAF Awards Nominations – Women

Women's Player of the Year

 Rasheedat Ajibade (Paris St-Germain & Nigeria), Barbra Banda (Orlando Pride & Zambia), Portia Boakye (Hapoel Petah Tikva & Ghana), Tabitha Chawinga (Lyon & Malawi), Temwa Chawinga (Kansas City & Malawi), Ghizlaine Chebbak (Al Hilal & Morocco), Mama Diop (Strasbourg & Senegal), Rachael Kundananji (Bay FC & Zambia), Sanaa Mssoudy (AS FAR & Morocco), Esther Okoronkwo (AFC Toronto & Nigeria).

Women's Goalkeeper of the Year

Sedilame Boseja (Mamelodi Sundowns & Botswana), Andile Dlamini (Mamelodi Sundowns & South Africa), Habiba Emad (FC Masar & Egypt), Khadija Er-Rmichi (AS FAR & Morocco), Fatoumata Karantao (MUSFAS Bamako & Mali), Cynthia Konlan (Swieqi United & Ghana), Adji Ndiaye (AS Bambey & Senegal), Fideline Ndoy (TP Mazembe & DR Congo), Chloe N'Gazi (Marseille & Algeria), Chiamaka Nnadozie (Brighton & Hove Albion & Nigeria).

Women's Coach of the Year

Genoveva Anonman (15 de Agosto), Kim Bjorkegren (Ghana), Lamia Boumehdi (TP Mazembe), Desiree Ellis (South Africa), Carol Kanyemba (Zambia U17), Adelaide Koudougnon (Ivory Coat U17), Justin Madugu (Nigeria), Bankole Olowookere (Nigeria U17), Siaka Gigi Traore (ASEC Mimosas), Jorge Vilda (Morocco).

Women's National Team of the Year

Cameroon U17, Ghana, Ivory Coast U17, Mali, Morocco, Nigeria, Nigeria U17, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia U17.

Shina Oludare
Shina OludareFlashscore