CAF Player of the Year 2025 – A Surprise Winner Stuns Africa

CAF Player of the Year is a prestigious award handed to the best player from the continent of Africa for the season or the calendar year. For 2025, performances from January 2025 to October 2025 were considered. The governing body, CAF, had earlier revealed the top 10 nominees for the CAF African Player of the Year award, also known as the African Ballon d'Or.

Alongside this, CAF also presented the CAF Youth Player of the Year award to the most promising young talent from the continent. With the awards now concluded, the winners have officially been crowned, marking another memorable night in African football history.

CAF African Player of the Year: List of Top 10 African Players Currently

As the world witnessed the CAF Awards 2025, here is how the final list of the CAF African Player of the Year looked , exactly as our team had predicted earlier.

How We Ranked the Nominees for the African Ballon d'Or?

We used the following factors to rank the CAF Player of the Year trophy nominees into our top 10.

• Goals + Assists - The ultimate measure of success in football comes down to any player's impact in the final third. Goals and assists indicate how big a match-winner the player is.
• Impact on the Team - Sometimes, when goals or assists fail to paint the full picture, the absence of a player might just indicate how important they are to the team's success.
• Overall Form - The player must be in excellent form throughout the season. Right from the first day to the final day of the season, they must be performing consistently to stand out and have a chance.
• Trophies/Achievements - What better feeling in football than winning silverware? The team titles do play an important role in measuring an individual's worthiness for a team award as well.

Note: All stats are taken from reliable sources such as SportsDunia, FBref and Transfermrkt.

CAF African Best Player of the Year: Who is the Favourite to Win the African Ballon d'Or?

The list to win the CAF African Best Player of the Year has some star names and some unexpected names. A few players on the list have already won this award, but a few are looking to make a sudden impact on the continent.

10. Oussama Lamlioui (Berkane|Morocco)

The 29-year-old developed a reputation for being the best striker in Africa by scoring and making an impact constantly. He led his side to the 2024/25 Botola Pro title. His goal in the finals also helped his team lift the 2024/25 Confed Cup against Simba. He now stands among the continent’s finest talents, with his performances pushing him closer to the CAF Player of the Year conversation.

If he continues at this level, lifting the prestigious trophy may soon become a realistic milestone in his career. With leading performances for Moroccan national football team, as well, he is becoming a regular on the CAF African Best Player of the Year nominee list and has a good chance in future.

9. Iliman Ndiaye (Everton|Senegal)

The fleet-footed forward Iliman Ndiaye made a switch to the Toffees from Marseille after a lukewarm season. He hit the ground running, but his side were in a relegation battle for a majority of the season. Ndiaye was the primary ball carrier and chance creator for his side. Despite registering no assists, he made up for it with goals.

His winner against Brighton, brace against Southampton, and crucial goals against Manchester United and Manchester City made Iliman Ndiaye a fan favourite. His technical ability to weave past players and find the net made him the most valuable asset for his club. Ndiaye's even having a better season this time and expects to better his rank in the next CAF Player of the Year award list.

8. Denis Bouanga (Los Angeles | Gabon)

The Gabon forward has been a revelation in the Major League Soccer. He developed the habit of playing through the middle or even on the left when his team asks for it. With 24 goals in the league, he led his side to the MLS Cup and almost dragged them to the Supporters' Shield.

Bouanga's partnership with new signing Heung-Min Son has been eye pleasing to say the least. The pair are assisting each other and scoring goals at an incredible pace as they look like prime contenders for the MLS Cup.

7. Pape Sarr (Tottenham | Senegal)

Pape Sarr was the ultimate utility player for his side in the 2024/25 season. The 23-year-old was ready to play as a central midfielder or a defensive or an attacking midfielder when his manager deployed him. He delivered top-quality performances in every position.

Sarr registered his highest scoring season, leading his side to the Europa League title. He was, however, powerless to stop their freefall in the league. Sarr already won the CAF Youth Player of the Year award in 2022.

6. Fiston Mayele (Pyramids FC | DR Congo)

Mayele is a regular name among the best in Africa thanks to his goal-scoring feats. The Congo international helps Pyramids challenge Al Ahly's dominance in the Egyptian Premier League. Despite his best efforts, he wasn't able to steer his side to glory in the league.

But in the CAF Champions League, Mayele was unstoppable as he opened the scoring in the 2nd leg of the finals. His braces against the Orlando Pirates and the FAR Rabat also helped his side. The winner in the CAF Super Cup enhanced his claim for the award as well.

5. Serhou Guirassy (Dortmund | Guinea)

After a stunning switch to Borussia Dortmund, many didn't expect Guirassy to replicate his goal-scoring heroics. But the Guinean international shocked the entire league by delivering on his promise. His four goals against Union Berlin stand out as his best moment in the league, as he notched up 21 goals.

Guirassy's best form was reserved for the Champions League. He scored 13 goals to win the Golden Boot in the tournament. His hat-trick against Barcelona in a losing cause won plenty of admirers for the player and the club.

4. Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa (Napoli | Cameroon)

Zambo Anguissa was the beating heart of Napoli's midfield that powered them to a league title. The silky Cameroonian thrived in Antonio Conte's midfield as he screened the backline. He also had the freedom to carry the ball forward and cause chaos in the final third. His goal-scoring ability helped his team in crucial junctures of the season.

He won the Serie A player of the month award in January for his two assists against Atalanta and a crucial goal against Juventus. With Napoli signing Kevin de Bruyne in the summer, he took up the role of a facilitator and conducted the midfield expertly. In a game heavily dominated by forwards, Anguissa can spring a surprise by winning the CAF Player of the Year trophy in the coming years if he performs in a similar way he is doing right now.

3. Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray | Nigeria)

When Victor Osimhen made the move to Turkey in the prime of his career, many questioned his ambition. But the Nigerian forward proved everyone wrong with a strong season, helping his club dominate the league and secure a cup double. His excellent goalscoring also earned him the Golden Boot by a big margin.

Osimhen improved his fitness, became more team-focused, and adapted his game well but despite a brilliant year, he ultimately finished 3rd in the CAF African Player of the Year rankings, behind Mohamed Salah and winner Achraf Hakimi.

2. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool | Egypt)

The Egyptian King Mohamed Salah is a master of making and breaking his own records. On the wrong side of 30, he showed no signs of slowing down as he piloted Arne Slot's Liverpool side to a league title on his own. He was made to play in a new system and still produced the results. Moreover, Salah produced unheard-of assist numbers with excellent creativity.

The tweaks he made to his game to compensate for pace and be a team player reflected his selflessness. Having won the CAF Player of the Year trophy three times, Salah was the hot favourite to lift it again, but this time it was Moroccan player Achraf Hakimi, who had a more impressive trophy cabinet compared to Mohamed Salah's, and the player had to settle for second place.

1. Achraf Hakimi (PSG | Morocco)

As the only defender on the list, Hakimi's brilliant trophy haul that he earned last season has now been rewarded as he has officially won the CAF Player of the Year Award. Widely regarded as one of the best right-backs in the world Hakimi enjoyed a standout season with French team PSG, delivering crucial goals in both the Champions League semifinal and final. His consistency, impact in big matches and leadership across competitions made him the deserving winner of Africa’s top individual honour.

His defensive contributions helped his side win a key treble and cement themselves as the best football team in Europe. Hakimi already won the CAF Youth Player of the Year award twice in 2018 and 2019 and now he has won the CAF Player of the Year award.

Best Young Player Africa

While we have mentioned the 10 best players of Africa above, now it's time to reveal the CAF Youth player of the year

Othmane Maamma (Morocco)

Othmane Maamma, the 20 year old Moroccan forward for Watford FC has been crowned the CAF Men's Young Player of the Year at the 2025 Confederation of African Football Awards in Rabat. This prestigious honor recognizes his explosive rise in African football capped by a historic triumph at the FIFA U-20 World Cup last month, where Morocco became the first African and Arab nation to claim the title after beating the powerhouse Argentina.