2025 CAF Player of the Year Rankings As Achraf Hakimi Reaches Champions League Final
- Achraf Hakimi has positioned himself as one of the leading contenders for the 2025 CAF Player of the Year Award
- The Moroccan international, who narrowly missed out on the prize in 2024, could have another shot at it
- He would need to contend with superstars like Mohamed Salah and Victor Osimhen, who are also having an incredible season
Achraf Hakimi is now one of the leading contenders for the 2025 CAF Player of the Year Award after the Moroccan powered Paris Saint-Germain to the Champions League final.
The Moroccan international was on the scoresheet in the second leg of their semi-final against Arsenal, and his goal ensured the Gunners were knocked out of the tournament.
He was one of the finalists for the 2024 CAF Player of the Year Award, which was scooped by Nigerian international Ademola Lookman.
Source: Getty Images
Although many could say it is too early to determine the superstar who would win the award in 2025, Legit.ng takes a look at the five players who are the leading contenders.
5. Omar Marmoush - Egypt / Manchester City
Omar Marmoush, who joined Manchester City from Eintracht Frankfurt for £59 million in January, has made a strong impact in the 2024-2025 season.
The 26-year-old has netted 7 goals for the Etihad Stadium outfit in all competitions, including a hat-trick in a 4–0 Premier League win over Newcastle United.
He could be one of the finalists for the 2025 CAF Player of the Year Award.
4. Serhou Guirassy - Guinea / Borussia Dortmund
Guirassy, who was a 2024 CAF Player of the Year finalist, continued with his prolific form in 2024/25 with Borussia Dortmund.
Although his club are out of the Champions League, Guirassy is the joint top scorer, having netted 13 goals, alongside Rafinha of Barcelona.
The Guinean international added 23 goals for club and country in 2024, including a hat-trick for Guinea in AFCON 2025 qualifiers against Ethiopia.
He is poised to contend for the CAF Award this year as well.
3. Victor Osimhen - Nigeria / Galatasaray, on loan from Napoli
Nigerian international Victor Osimhen bounced back in the 2024/25 season after a challenging 2023/24, as he continues to shine at Galatasaray on loan from Napoli.
His performances helped Galatasaray lead the Turkish Super Lig and compete in European competitions.
The 26-year-old has notched a staggering 33 goals in 37 matches for the Rams Park outfit this season.
He is poised to win the league title in Turkey as Galatasaray are 8 points ahead of second-placed Fenerbahce, with just 6 matches remaining.
Osimhen has also been incredible for Nigeria, scoring twice against Rwanda and then registering a goal against Zimbabwe in the World Cup qualifiers.
2. Achraf Hakimi - Morocco / Paris Saint-Germain
Achraf Hakimi is already having an incredible 2024/25 season with PSG, powering them into the Champions League final, per Sempre Inter.
He led the Champions League with five assists, scored a crucial goal in the semi-final against Arsenal, and contributed to PSG’s Ligue 1 title, Coupe de France, and Trophee des Champions.
His tally of 6 goals and 14 assists in 44 matches across all competitions shows why he is one of the best right-backs around.
Hakimi also helped Morocco secure a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics and scored in AFCON 2025 qualifiers.
He could be the main contender for the 2025 CAF Player of the Year Award.
1. Mohamed Salah - Egypt / Liverpool
Salah is being heavily tipped to win the CAF award, having played a pivotal role in Liverpool's Premier League title quest this season.
The 32-year-old has notched in 33 goals in 49 matches this season for the Reds as he reaffirms his status as one of Africa’s greatest players.
Source: Getty Images
Salah's 28 league goals helped Liverpool seal the title with four matches left. His potential impact in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers could solidify his position.
The 2025 CAF Player of the Year Award will be decided based on individual performances and team achievements leading up to the ceremony in December 2025.
Arteta claims the best team lost
Legit.ng earlier reported that Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta expressed both pride and frustration following Arsenal’s exit from the Champions League.
Despite the result, the Spanish manager stood firm in his belief that Arsenal were the top-performing side in the tournament.
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Source: Legit.ng
