On the evening of November 19 at Rabat, despite being injured, Achraf Hakimi was still present at the awards gala. The 27-year-old defender had to fight and practice to enter the stands.
When he took the stage to receive awards from FIFA President Gianni Infantino and CAF President Patrice Motsepe, he even had to jump over a crowbar to avoid impacting his injured left foot.
Hakimi said he felt "honored and proud" to receive the award. "This title is not only for me, but also for all the strong men and women of Africa, who are nurturing the dream of becoming professional players" - the Marocese defender shared.
Hakimi is also the first defender to win the award since the CAF began awarding in 1992. Previously, the awards were only for midfielders and forwards, with Yaya Toure and Samuel Eto'o holding the record for four times of recognition.
Among the players still playing, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane are the ones with the best results with two awards.
Hakimi's nomination this year is not surprising, especially since Salah and Osimhen are not present at the gala. Before the ceremony, Salah even posted a photo of himself playing at home with his daughter Makka.
The 27-year-old defender has just had an explosive 2024-2025 season, contributing greatly to PSG's historic treble. He ended the season with 11 goals and 16 assists, and was selected to the typical squad of FIFPro as well as the Champions League. The rare minus point is the defeat to Chelsea in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup final.
