Super Eagles striker of Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen, Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi and Egypt’s Mohamed Salah are the three finalists for the biggest prize of the 2025 CAF Awards, the Player of the Year, the Confederation of African Football revealed tonight.
Osimhen inspired Galatasaray to the Turkish Super Lig and Turkish Cup double last season, finishing as the league’s top scorer with 26 goals.
The former Napoli star previously won the award in 2023, the same year Hakimi finished as runner-up.
Hakimi, the Morocco captain, crowned a historic season by winning the UEFA Champions League with Paris Saint-Germain for the first time in the club’s history, along with the French league and cup double, and the European Super Cup.
Liverpool superstar Salah played a key role in the club’s English Premier League title win last season, scoring 29 goals and providing 18 assists to claim both the Golden Boot and Playmaker awards.
The 33-year-old also won the PFA Player of the Year and is bidding for his third CAF crown after triumphs in 2017 and 2018.
Last year’s winner Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman, who edged Hakimi for the award, did not make the final shortlist.
The CAF Awards ceremony in Rabat on November 19 will also honour other categories, including Interclub Player of the Year, where Pyramids FC duo Fiston Mayele of DR Congo and Moroccan defender Mohamed Chibi join Oussama Lamliouli of RS Berkane.
For Best Goalkeeper, Moroccan pair Munir Mohamedi (RS Berkane) and Yassine Bounou (Al-Hilal) will compete against South Africa’s Ronwen Williams of Mamelodi Sundowns, who claimed both Best Goalkeeper and Best Interclub Player last year.
The Best Coach shortlist features Mohamed Ouhbi, who led Morocco to Under-20 World Cup glory, Morocco’s national team boss Walid Regragui, and Cape Verde’s Bubista, who guided his country to an unprecedented qualification for the 2026 World Cup.