• Achraf Hakimi becomes the first Moroccan and defender to win African Footballer of the Year since 1998 and 1973, respectively.
• Hakimi helped PSG secure a treble, including their first Champions League title, scoring key goals throughout the season.
• Moroccan Ghizlane Chebbak won the Women's Player of the Year, marking a historic achievement for Moroccan women's football.

Achraf Hakimi, the right-back for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), has been named the 2025 African Footballer of the Year at the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards held in Rabat, Morocco. This win marks a historic moment as he is the first Moroccan player to receive this accolade since Mustapha Hadji in 1998 and the first defender to win it in 52 years, according to africanews and bbc.

Hakimi's remarkable performance this season included pivotal roles in PSG's treble-winning campaign, where he contributed significantly to their first-ever Champions League title and multiple domestic honors. He was essential in the Champions League final, scoring the opener against Inter Milan and finishing with impressive season stats of 11 goals and 17 assists in 55 matches, according to bbc and aljazeera.

During the awards ceremony, Hakimi stated, "This trophy is not just for me but all the strong men and women who have dreams of being a footballer in Africa." His win also reflects his journey from narrowly missing the top spot last year to achieving this esteemed recognition, highlighting his dedication and hard work, as reported by bbc and aljazeera.

In addition to Hakimi, Moroccan midfielder Ghizlane Chebbak made history by winning the Women's Player of the Year award, making her the first Moroccan to achieve this honor. Chebbak's performances at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations were pivotal, but her team ultimately fell short in the final against Nigeria, according to bbc and aljazeera.