As 2025 draws to a close, it’s time to look back and reflect on the year’s top achievements. Recently, Ousmane Dembélé has won the Ballon d’Orand the awards that recognize the best players and teams Africa are just around the corner. Among the finalists was a Major League Football standout will compete against Ashraf Hakimi And Mohammed Salah.
On Wednesday, CAF has announced the lists of finalists for the 2025 awards via its official social media channels. Unsurprisingly, this is the most anticipated category African Player of the Yearincluding 10 nominees.
Muhammad Salah tops the list thanks to its excellent performance with Liverpool during the 2024-2025 season, in which the Reds won the title Premier League title. The Egyptian winger scored 29 goals that season and finished as the league’s top scorer, ahead of stars like Erling Haaland of Manchester City And Alexander Isak from Newcastle.
The other major contender is Ashraf Hakimi. The Moroccan right back played a key role Paris Saint Germain in their historic 2024-2025 season, in which Luis Enrique led the team to titles in the UEFA Champions League, Ligue 1, And French Cup.
Salah and Hakimi were so dominant during the 2024-2025 season that they both finished in the top ten of the league. Ballon d’Or ranking awarded by France football last month. The Liverpool winger finished fourth, only behind Dembele, Lamine YamalAnd Vitinhawhile the PSG defender finished sixth.
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An MLS star among the finalists for African Player of the Year
In addition to Mohamed Salah and Achraf Hakimi, eight other players hope to take home the prestigious award. Most of them also play in Europe: Napoli’s Frank AnguissaBorussia Dortmund Serhou GuirassyGalatasarays Victor OsimhenEvertons Indian educationand Tottenham’s Pope Sarr.
However, three players have earned their places despite not having played in one of the world’s top leagues. Oussama Lamliouia striker for RS Berkane in Morocco, and Fiston Mayelealso a forward, who plays for Pyramids FC in Egypt, are the only finalists still playing in African national competitions.
The last name on the list comes from MLS: Denis Bouanga. The 30-year-old attacker, born in France but representative Gabonhas had an excellent campaign in 2025 FC Los Angeleswhich earned him a nomination for African Player of the Year. He scored 30 goals and 9 assists in all competitions in 2025, finishing second in the MLS scoring charts, just behind Lionel Messi.
Who won the African Player of the Year?
CAF introduced the African Player of the Year award in 1992 and has since annually honored the continent’s most notable stars. The first winner became Firsta Ghanaian midfielder who played for Olympique Marseille at the time. In the years that followed, legends such as George Wea And To remind claimed the prize.
Samuel Eto’o and Yaya Toure share the record for most wins, with four eachwhile other global icons like it Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, And Didier Drogba have won it twice each. The most recent recipient is Ademola Lookmanwho had a remarkable year at Atalanta in 2024.
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