Osimhen, Salah, and Hakimi were chosen finalists for Africa’s top football award
The Confederation of African Football announced on Sunday that Achraf Hakimi, Mohamed Salah, and Victor Osimhen have been selected as the three finalists for the CAF Player of the Year title, and will now compete for Africa’s top individual football accolade.
The Moroccan captain, Hakimi, completed a historic season by winning the European Super Cup, the French league and cup double, and the Champions League with Paris Saint-Germain for the first time in the club’s history.
Mohamed Salah of Egypt, who won the Golden Boot and Playmaker trophies for his 29 goals and 18 assists, was a key player in Liverpool’s Premier League championship victory the previous season. After winning the PFA Player of the Year award in 2017 and 2018, the 33-year-old is vying for his third CAF championship.
With 26 goals to his credit, Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen led Galatasaray to a league and cup double in Turkey. Hakimi placed second in 2023, the same year Osimhen took up the prize.
Ademola Lookman, who defeated Hakimi to win the prize last year, was left off of the final shortlist.
Other categories, such as Interclub Player of the Year, will also be honored at the CAF Awards ceremony in Rabat on November 19. Pyramids FC’s Fiston Mayele of DR Congo and Moroccan defender Mohamed Chibi will join Oussama Lamliouli of RS Berkane in this category.
South Africa’s Ronwen Williams of Mamelodi Sundowns, who won Best Goalkeeper and Best Interclub Player the previous season, will face Moroccan duo Munir Mohamedi (RS Berkane) and Yassine Bounou (Al-Hilal) for Best Goalkeeper.
The shortlist for Best Coach includes Cape Verde’s Bubista, who led his nation to an unprecedented qualification for the 2026 World Cup; Morocco’s national team coach Walid Regragui; and Mohamed Ouhbi, who led Morocco to Under-20 World Cup victory.
