South Africa's Tylon Smith Wins U20 AFCON Player of the Tournament

South African midfielder Tylon Smith has been named Best Player of the 2025 U20 Africa Cup of Nations, capping off a dominant tournament for the young Bafana Bafana squad.

The 19-year-old was a consistent standout throughout the competition and played a vital role in South Africa’s first-ever U20 AFCON title, sealed with a 1-0 win over Morocco in Sunday’s final at Cairo International Stadium.

CAF Official Recognition

According to CAF’s official website, Smith’s performances were crucial to South Africa’s unbeaten knockout run. His composure, creativity, and vision in midfield made him one of the tournament’s most exciting prospects.

Fletcher Lowe – Best Goalkeeper

Another major winner was goalkeeper Fletcher Lowe, who claimed the Golden Glove after:

• 4 clean sheets
• 24 saves – the most in the tournament

Low was particularly heroic in the final, making several key stops to keep Morocco at bay and secure the title.

Golden Boot – Momoh Kamara (Sierra Leone)

Sierra Leone’s Momoh Kamara took home the Golden Boot after scoring 4 goals, including a stunning hat-trick against hosts Egypt, emerging as one of the breakout stars of the tournament.

Fair Play – Morocco

Despite finishing runners-up, Morocco received the Fair Play Award for their discipline and sportsmanship throughout the competition.

Full U20 AFCON Awards Recap

• Champions: South Africa
• Best Player: Tylon Smith (South Africa)
• Best Goalkeeper: Fletcher Lowe (South Africa)
• Top Scorer: Momoh Kamara (Sierra Leone) – 4 goals
• Fair Play Award: Morocco