• Wins 2025 CAF honours

By Grace Edet

Achraf Hakimi has been crowned the 2025 CAF Player of the Year, adding Morocco to the growing list of countries dominating Africa’s most prestigious football award. The win reinforces a long-running pattern where North and West African nations compete closely for continental football supremacy.
The historical data, shared by Africa Facts Zone, highlights a remarkable 33-year spread of winners featuring legends from Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Egypt, Cameroon, and Morocco.
Recent Winners (2022–2025): North and West Africa in Full Control
Hakimi’s 2025 win follows a strong run by Nigerian and Senegalese stars:

2025 – Achraf Hakimi (Morocco)
2024 – Ademola Lookman (Nigeria)
2023 – Victor Osimhen (Nigeria)
2022 – Sadio Mané (Senegal)

Lookman, after winning in 2024, said: “It’s a special recognition for Nigerian football, and I’m proud to be part of this era.”

2016–2021: A Period of Regional Rivalry

This era featured a mix of North and West African winners including:
2019 – Sadio Mané (Senegal)
2018 – Mohamed Salah (Egypt)
2017 – Mohamed Salah (Egypt)
2016 – Riyad Mahrez (Algeria)

2011–2015: The Yaya Touré Golden Run

Ivorian midfielder Yaya Touré dominated the early 2010s with an unprecedented four consecutive wins as indicated below:
2015 – Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon)
2014 – Yaya Touré (Côte d’Ivoire)
2013 – Yaya Touré (Côte d’Ivoire)
2012 – Yaya Touré (Côte d’Ivoire)
2011 – Yaya Touré (Côte d’Ivoire)

2003–2010: Eto’o and Drogba Take Centre Stage

Cameroon and Côte d’Ivoire were the global faces of African football during this period:

2010 – Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon)
2009 – Didier Drogba (Côte d’Ivoire)
2008 – Emmanuel Adebayor (Togo)
2007 – Frederic Kanouté (Mali)
2006 – Didier Drogba (Côte d’Ivoire)
2005 – Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon)
2004 – Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon)
2003 – Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon)

1990s Icons Who Paved the Way

The 1990s were defined by Nigerian and West African greats, with Liberia’s George Weah standing out as Africa’s only Ballon d’Or winner:

2002 – El Hadji Diouf (Senegal)
2001 – El Hadji Diouf (Senegal)
2000 – Patrick M’Boma (Cameroon)
1999 – Nwankwo Kanu (Nigeria)
1998 – Mustapha Hadji (Morocco)
1997 – Victor Ikpeba (Nigeria)
1996 – Nwankwo Kanu (Nigeria)
1995 – George Weah (Liberia)
1994 – Emmanuel Amunike (Nigeria)
1993 – Rashidi Yekini (Nigeria)
1992 – Abedi Pele (Ghana)

A Tradition of Excellence Continues

Hakimi’s 2025 triumph strengthens his status as one of Africa’s most influential modern players and adds to Morocco’s growing legacy in international football. With emerging stars across Europe’s top leagues, the competition for future CAF Player of the Year awards remains wide open.
Africa’s football history — from Abedi Pele (1992) to Achraf Hakimi (2025) — reflects three decades of evolving talent, continental rivalry and global impact.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has charged the Super Eagles to shift attention to the 2026 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco, urging the team to recover quickly from Sunday’s World Cup playoff defeat to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
In a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, the President said the team must now “focus all efforts on the Cup of Nations” after narrowly missing out on a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup for the second consecutive cycle.
Nigeria’s qualification hopes were extinguished in Rabat after a tense match ended 1-1 in extra time, with DR Congo edging the Eagles 4-3 on penalties to move into the Inter-Confederation play-off.
Despite the disappointment, Tinubu commended the players for their determination throughout the qualifiers, noting that they had shown resilience, particularly after winning the first leg of the playoff.
“Notwithstanding the unfortunate loss, we must commend the players for their efforts and continue to support them,” he said.
The President also called for a comprehensive review of the country’s football operations, urging administrators, coaches, players and stakeholders to return to the drawing board and “plug all the loopholes” that undermined the qualification campaign.
While acknowledging the pain felt by fans nationwide, he stressed that the upcoming AFCON—scheduled for January to February 2026—provides an immediate opportunity for redemption.
“Our Super Eagles must recover the lost glory,” President Tinubu said, rallying the team to prepare adequately and aim for a strong continental outing

Harry Kane put the seal on flawless England’s record-setting finish to their World Cup qualifying campaign with a late double in Sunday’s 2-0 win over Albania.
After an eighth successive Group K victory, England are the first European side to go through a World Cup qualifying campaign of at least six matches with an 100 percent record and no goals conceded.
They are the first European team to win all their World Cup qualifiers since Germany in 2018.
England have not lost a World Cup qualifier in 39 games since 2009 when they were beaten 1-0 in Ukraine.
They scored 22 goals and allowed none in a perfect path to next year’s tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Spain, like England yet to concede a goal, and Norway have also won all their qualifiers. Both have one game left.
England’s run of 10 consecutive competitive wins without conceding a goal equals Spain’s European record.
The Three Lions also end 2025 with their highest win percentage in a calendar year since 1946 – nine victories from 10 games under Tuchel featuring only one blemish in a friendly loss to Senegal in June.
Tuchel started his reign with a 2-0 win against Albania in March and the same opponents book-ended a memorable first year in charge for the German.
Although England wrapped up their World Cup place in October, they followed Tuchel’s demand to stay focused, beating Serbia on Thursday and dispatching obdurate Albania.
Far sterner tests lie in in wait at the World Cup but Tuchel has recovered from a sluggish start to his reign to provide genuine belief that England can win a major trophy for the first time since 1966.
By the time they return to action with two friendlies in March, Tuchel will know who England will face at the World Cup after the draw in Washington on December 5.
Tuchel made seven changes as he brought Jude Bellingham back into the starting line-up for the first time since June after restricting him to a substitute appearance against Serbia.
Although England enjoyed over 70 percent of the possession, they found it hard to carve open Albania, on an eight-match unbeaten run that ranked as their best in 15 years.
Sylvinho’s combative side nearly snatched a shock lead when Elseid Hysaj curled just over from the edge of the area.
Left out of the October internationals, Bellingham had a point to prove to Tuchel as he fights for starting berth at the World Cup after Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers impressed in his absence.
The Real Madrid midfielder’s contribution was patchy until he drove forward to set up Jarrod Bowen for a low strike that Thomas Strakosha pushed around the post.
England’s clean-sheet run almost came to an end immediately after the interval.
Dean Henderson, deputising for Jordan Pickford, flung himself to the left to parry Arber Hoxha’s stinging shot.
Henderson made an equally good save moments later, blocking Hoxha’s close-range effort after Dan Burn’s miscued pass put England in danger.
Kane said on Saturday that England want to build an NFL-style playbook to help make the most of set-pieces at the World Cup.
Fittingly, the England captain, a noted NFL fan, struck from a set-piece in the 74th minute.
Bukayo Saka’s corner was flicked into the six-yard box and Kane tapped in after Strakosha failed to gather.
The Bayern Munich striker wasn’t done yet and he netted again in the 82nd minute to make it 78 goals for England in 112 appearances.
Marcus Rashford’s cross was perfectly weighted for Kane to thump his header past Strakosha from five yards, concluding England’s campaign with a flourish.