Achraf Hakimi, All Other Winners at the 2025 CAF Awards, As South African Stars Miss Out
Former Real Madrid defender Achraf Hakimi has been crowned African Footballer of the Year following a stellar season for both Morocco and Paris Saint-Germain last season, with South African stars ending up without winning anything at the 2025 CAF Awards.
The 27-year-old claimed the prestigious award after helping PSG secure a remarkable quadruple — the UEFA Champions League, French Ligue 1, French Super Cup, and UEFA Super Cup — edging out Liverpool and Egypt's Mohamed Salah and Galatasaray and Nigeria's Victor Osimhen for the continental honour.
In other categories, Bafana Bafana and Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper Ronwen Williams missed out on the CAF Goalkeeper of the Year award, while Amajita defender Tylon Smith also fell short in the race for the CAF Young Player of the Year accolade.
CAF Awards winners as SA stars miss out
Williams made the final three nominees after playing a key role in helping Bafana Bafana qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while also inspiring Mamelodi Sundowns’ run to the CAF Champions League final which they lost against Pyramids FC.
The Sundowns captain was further recognised on the global stage with a nomination for the FIFA Best XI Goalkeeper for 2025.
At the CAF awards ceremony in Morocco, Williams competed against RS Berkane’s Munir for the CAF Goalkeeper of the Year prize, but the honour ultimately went to former Sevilla shot-stopper Yassine Bounou.
Former Stellenbosch FC defender Tylon Smith, now at Championship club Queens Park Rangers, had also been in contention after winning the U20 Africa Cup of Nations Best Player award. He impressed again at the U20 World Cup and was shortlisted alongside Morocco U17 captain Abdeallah Ouzzane, but both were beaten by Othman Maamma — the Golden Ball winner after Morocco’s successful World Cup campaign.
Sundowns endured a disappointing evening overall, missing out on the Men’s Club of the Year award to Pyramids, while goalkeeper Andile Dlamini lost the Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year accolade to Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie.
One of the night’s standout winners was Fiston Mayele, who walked away with the Interclub Player of the Year award following a spectacular CAF Champions League campaign.
All winners at CAF awards
Goal of the Year: Clement Mzize
Women’s Assistant Referee of the Year: Tabara Mbodji (Senegal)
Women’s Referee of the Year: Samirah Nabadda (Uganda)
Men’s Assistant Referee of the Year: Liban Abdoulrazack (Djibouti)
Men’s Referee of the Year: Omar Abdulkadir (Somalia)
Men’s Club of the Year: Pyramids
Men’s Coach of the Year: Bubista (Cape Verde)
Women’s National Team of the Year: Nigeria
Men’s National Team of the Year: Morocco U20
Men’s Inter-club Player of the Year: Fiston Mayele (Pyramids)
Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Nigeria)
Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year: Yassine Bounou (Morocco)
Women’s Young Player of the Year: Doha El Madani (Morocco)
Men’s Young Player of the Year: Othmane Maamma (Morocco)
Women’s African Footballer of the Year: Ghizlane Chebbak (Morocco)
Men’s African Footballer of the Year: Achraf Hakimi (Morocco)
Source: Briefly News
