Hakimi, Osimhen, Salah shortlisted for top African award | The Express Tribune

JOHANNESBURG:

Moroccan Achraf Hakimi, Nigerian Victor Osimhen and Egyptian Mohamed Salah were shortlisted on Sunday for the 2025 African men’s player of the year award, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced.

Moroccans Ghizlane Chebbak and Sanaa Mssoudy and Nigerian Rasheedat Ajibade are the contenders for the African women’s player of the year title.

Currently injured, full-back Hakimi helped Paris Saint-Germain win the UEFA Champions League for the first time and finish runners-up to Chelsea in the final of the expanded Club World Cup.

If fit, the 27-year-old will lead hosts Morocco in the Africa Cup of Nations from December 21 as they seek to win the competition for the first time since 1976.

Twice winner of the African award, Salah has been struggling lately after an outstanding contribution to Liverpool winning the Premier League a record-equalling 20th time last season.

The 33-year-old won the 2024-25 Premier League Golden Boot award with 29 goals, six more than Alexander Isak, who has since moved from Newcastle United to Liverpool.

Osimhen, from top Turkish outfit Galatasaray, has been outstanding recently for club and country, but some of his achievements will not count as the deadline for the judges was October 15.

That rules out a Champions League hat-trick against Ajax in Amsterdam and two goals in a 2026 World Cup play-off victory over Gabon last Thursday.

Paris Saint-Germain star Ajibade was voted the best player at the Africa women’s Cup of Nations this year after Nigeria came from two goals behind to defeat hosts Morocco 3-2 in the final.

Saudi Arabia-based Chebbak, the daughter of former Moroccan men’s star Larbi Chebbak, was the leading scorer in the competition with five goals.

Another Moroccan forward, Mssoudy has helped make Rabat club FAR one of the strongest in Africa. They won the CAF women’s Champion League three years ago and reached the 2025 semi-finals this weekend.

The annual African men’s and women’s awards ceremony will be staged in Moroccan capital Rabat on Wednesday.

CAF technical and development committee members, coaches, former stars and selected media representatives selected the nominees.