The race for the prestigious Confederation of African Football (CAF) Men’s Player of the Year award is heating up, with a shortlist of ten top players announced this week. Moroccan star Achraf Hakimi and Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman are at the forefront of this year’s nominations, following remarkable performances that captivated fans across the continent.
Hakimi, last year’s finalist, stands out with his key role in Morocco’s historic Olympic performance, where the team won its first-ever Olympic medal in football. Alongside Hakimi, fellow Moroccan Soufiane Rahimi is also in contention, having scored eight goals during the Olympic tournament, further strengthening Morocco’s presence on the shortlist.
Nigeria has a strong showing as well, with two players nominated. Ademola Lookman played a crucial role in Atalanta’s victory in the Europa League final and was instrumental in Nigeria’s path to a silver finish at the most recent Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). He is joined by Nigerian captain William Troost-Ekong, whose defensive prowess has been vital to Nigeria’s recent successes.
Additional nominees include Simon Adingra, a major figure in Côte d’Ivoire’s AFCON victory, and Guinea’s Serhou Guirassy, who dominated the German league with VFB Stuttgart, netting an impressive 30 goals in 30 matches. Algeria’s Amine Gouiri, Burkina Faso’s Edmond Tapsoba, Chancel Mbemba from DR Congo, and South Africa’s Ronwen Williams complete the lineup of contenders.
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Williams, the only goalkeeper nominated for the Player of the Year award, captured attention with a standout AFCON performance, saving four penalties in the quarterfinals to propel South Africa into the semi-finals for the first time in years. He is also in the running for both Goalkeeper of the Year and Interclub Player of the Year. Joining him on the shortlist for Goalkeeper of the Year are Munir El Kajoui of Morocco, Nigeria’s Stanley Nwabali, and Cameroon’s Andre Onana, who currently plays for Manchester United.
The Men’s Coach of the Year category features an impressive array of talent, including Côte d’Ivoire’s AFCON-winning coach Emerse Faé, and Marcel Koller, who led Egypt’s Al Ahly to their historic 12th CAF Champions League title. Coaches Hugo Broos (South Africa), Florent Ibenge (Al Hilal), and several others round out the list.
The coveted National Team of the Year award has Morocco, Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, and South Africa among the favorites, joined by Mozambique, Angola, Burkina Faso, DR Congo, Sudan, and Uganda.
The CAF awards ceremony is set to take place in Marrakech, Morocco, on December 16, where the lists across the seven men’s award categories—including interclub awards—will be narrowed down to three finalists each. As the date approaches, fans eagerly await the final reveal, hoping to see their national icons recognized on one of African football’s biggest stages.
