CAF POTY: Luis Enrique Backs Hakimi to Win Award Over Osimhen and Salah
- Paris Saint-Germain head coach Luis Enrique has backed Achraf Hakimi to win the 2025 CAF Men's Player of the Year
- Hakimi was nominated for the prestigious award alongside Victor Osimhen, Mohamed Salah, Serhou Guirassy, and others
- The Moroccan international defender finished second behind Super Eagles attacker Ademola Lookman, who won the award in 2024
Paris Saint-Germain head coach Luis Enrique has picked Achraf Hakimi as the deserved winner of the 2025 CAF Men's Player of the Year.
Hakimi is one of the 10 nominees for African football’s biggest prize alongside top stars Victor Osimhen, Mohamed Salah, Serhou Guirassy, and others.
Source: Getty Images
The defender will hope to go one step beyond last year, when he finished as runner-up behind reigning African Footballer of the Year Ademola Lookman.
The Super Eagles attacker won the award off the back of scoring a hat trick in the UEFA Europa League final and helping Nigeria reach the AFCON 2023 final.
The Moroccan international helped PSG win five trophies, including the club’s first UEFA Champions League title, beating Inter Milan in the final.
The former Real Madrid star and Egyptian forward, Mohamed Salah, who led Liverpool to the Premier League title, is seen as the favourite.
According to CAF Online, the period under consideration for the nominated players is January 6 to October 15, 2025, which was the end of the African qualifying series for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Hakimi has a strong claim for the award; as the only defender nominated, he scored nine goals and provided 11 assists during the time under review, comparing favourably against attackers.
Enrique backs Hakimi for CAF Best
Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique’s decision is not divided this time, unlike the Ballon d'Or when nine of his players were nominated.
Enrique backed Ousmane Dembele to win the Ballon d'Or, but for the CAF Men's Player of the Year, he has thrown his weight behind Hakimi.
“Hakimi for the African Ballon d’Or? For me, he’s without a doubt the best right-back in the world,” Enrique said, as quoted by Africa Soccer.
“He’s always at 100%. That’s why we haven’t signed any right-back: you just can’t spend on a backup who’ll only get three games. He’s also one of the leaders in the locker room.”
Source: Getty Images
Hakimi’s exploits during PSG’s historic year, his individual performance, being the only defender nominated and losing last year’s award are key factors behind his push.
The award will be held in Morocco, possibly after the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, which will be held in the same country from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.
CAF has not announced the venue, but it is likely to be held at the Palais des Congres, where the previous editions in the North African country have been held.
Comparing Hakimi’s stats to Osimhen and others
Legit.ng analysed Achraf Hakimi’s stats in comparison to other CAF Best award favourite nominees, including Osimhen, Salah and Guirassy.
Super Eagles star Osimhen has the best individual goal contributions during the period under review, while Hakimi won the most trophies.
Source: Legit.ng
