Hakimi, Chebbak Headline Morocco’s Big Night as Nigeria Shine in Team, Goalkeeper Categories

The 2025 CAF Awards in Marrakech produced a night of historic wins for Morocco and Nigeria, with new champions crowned across major categories. Morocco ended a 27-year wait for the Men’s Player of the Year award after Achraf Hakimi beat Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen and Egypt’s Mohamed Salah to the top prize. The PSG defender, who had never won the award before, was rewarded for a year of standout performances marked by consistency and leadership. Osimhen, the 2023 winner, and Salah, a two-time champion, completed the podium.

Morocco also made history in the women’s category as Ghizlane Chebbak became the first Moroccan to win the Women’s Player of the Year award. Her five WAFCON goals proved crucial, helping her edge Nigeria’s Rasheedat Ajibade, who had been widely tipped as the favourite. Judges highlighted Chebbak’s all-round influence, noting that Ajibade “led Nigeria to the WAFCON title…” but the Moroccan forward’s scoring impact ultimately swayed the vote.

Nigeria celebrated its biggest individual success through Chiamaka Nnadozie, who extended her dominance by winning the Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year for the third straight year. She remains the only footballer to ever win the award, following another brilliant year with Paris FC, Brighton, and the Super Falcons.

There was disappointment for Nigeria’s Stanley Nwabali, who missed the final shortlist as Morocco’s Yassine Bounou claimed the men’s goalkeeping honour. Morocco further swept the youth categories, with Othmane Maamma and Doha El Madani winning the men’s and women’s youth awards. El Madani beat Nigeria’s U17 captain Shakirat Moshood to the title.

Nigeria ended the night with a major team prize as the Super Falcons were named Women’s Team of the Year for their WAFCON triumph, while Morocco’s U20 side took the men’s equivalent after their historic FIFA U20 World Cup victory.