Achraf Hakimi has capped off a remarkable year by being named the African Footballer of the Year, becoming the first defender in more than five decades to win the continent’s most prestigious individual honour.
The Paris Saint-Germain full-back edged out Mohamed Salah and Victor Osimhen in the final vote, held at a packed ceremony in Rabat.
Hakimi’s win comes after a season where everything seemed to fall into place. He played a central role in PSG’s historic treble, including their ruthless 5-0 dismantling of Inter Milan in the Champions League final.
The club added the Ligue 1 title, the Coupe de France, and later the UEFA Super Cup, making 2025 one of their most decorated years.
For Morocco, the recognition marks a proud moment. Hakimi is the first from his country to win the award since Mustapha Hadji in 1998, further cementing his status as a national icon.
Speaking after receiving the trophy, he dedicated the achievement to “every young boy and girl in Africa who dreams of becoming a footballer,” thanking those who backed him long before he became a global star.
His sixth-place finish in this year’s Ballon d’Or, higher than any Moroccan before him, only underlines the scale of his rise. With Moroccan footballers also sweeping goalkeeper and women’s awards, the night felt like a statement: Africa’s next era may have a strong Moroccan accent.