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Super Falcons, Nnadozie win big at 2025 CAF Awards
Morocco’s Hakimi finally crowned Africa’s Best
As widely speculated, PSG and Morocco’s inspirational defender Achraf Hakimi was last night crowned African Footballer of the Year for the first time in his illustrious career at the 2025 CAF Awards Gala held at the at the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University in Rabat.
Nigeria was not left out of the honours role as the Super Falcons were named the Women’s Team of the Year while goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie grabbed the Women’s goalkeeper of th Year award.
For the ‘homeboy’ Hakimi , it was indeed third time lucky after missing out of the awards in two previous editions to Nigeria’s duo of Victor Osimhen (2023) and Ademola Lookman (2024).
Still recuperating from a recent injury, Hakimi hobbled to the podium to receive his award from both the CAF President Patrice Motsepe and FIFA President Gianni Infantino saying, he was proud to finally have his hands on the prized individual award.
Hakimi is the first Moroccan to win the award since Moustapha Hadji in 1998 and he’s now the third Moroccan to be crowned Africa’s Best since the award was instituted in 1970 after Mohamed Timoumi (1985).
The night also belonged to Super Falcons’ Number 1 shot-stopper Nnadozie who has now claimed the honour as the continent’s best goalkeeper in the women’s category for the third year in a row.
Nnadozie beat Morocco’s Khadija Er-Rmichi and South Africa’s Andile Dlamini after an exceptional year for club and country.
The 24-year-old currently with Brighton & Hove Albion , helped Paris FC win the Coupe de France Féminine before guiding Nigeria to a historic 10th WAFCON title, where she kept four clean sheets and won the tournament’s Best Goalkeeper award.
Meanwhile, the Super Falcons were crowned the 2025 CAF Women’s National Team of the Year after a remarkable campaign highlighted by their record-extending 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations triumph.
Under coach Justin Madugu, the Falcons dominated the group stage without conceding, defeating Tunisia, Botswana, and Algeria. They crushed Zambia 5–0 in the quarterfinals and edged South Africa 2–1 in the semifinals.
In a dramatic final, Nigeria overturned a 2–0 deficit to beat hosts Morocco 3–2, showcasing resilience and championship mentality.
In the other women’s category, Super Falcons ‘ captain Rasheedat Ajibade and Flamingos’ Shakirat Moshood were beaten respectively to the Women’s Player of the Year and Women’s Young Player of the Year by Morocco’s duo of Ghizlane Chebbak and Doha El Madani .
In a related development, Super Falcons’ coach Madugu will have to wait as organisers announced that The CAF Women’s Coach of the Year award will be presented upon completion of the ongoing CAF Women’s Champions League Egypt 2025.
CAF AWARDS 2025: ALL THE WINNERS
CAF PLAYER OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Achraf Hakimi (Morocco / Paris Saint-Germain)
CAF PLAYER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Ghizlane Chebbak (Morocco / Al Hilal)
CAF GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Yassine Bounou (Morocco / Al Hilal)
CAF GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Chiamaka Nnadozie (Nigeria / Brighton & Hove Albion)
CAF INTERCLUB PLAYER OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Fiston Mayele (DR Congo / Pyramids)
CAF YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Othmane Maamma (Morocco / Watford)
CAF YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Doha El Madani (Morocco / AS FAR)
CAF COACH OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Bubista (Cape Verde)
CAF NATIONAL TEAM OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Morocco Under-20
CAF NATIONAL TEAM OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Nigeria
CAF CLUB OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Pyramids (Egypt)
REFEREE OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Omar Abdulkadir (Somalia)
ASSISTANT REFEREE OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Liban Abdoulrazack (Djibouti)
REFEREE OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Shamirah Nabadda (Uganda)
ASSISTANT REFEREE OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Tabara Mbodji (Senegal)
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