Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah, Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi, and Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen headline the 10-man shortlist for the 2025 CAF Player of the Year award, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced on Wednesday.
Salah, who finished fourth in the 2025 Ballon d’Or, and Hakimi, who placed sixth, are among the frontrunners for the continental crown. The Egyptian captain has already won the award twice, while Morocco’s Hakimi is seeking his first-ever title.
The list also features two Premier League stars from Senegal — Tottenham Hotspur’s Pape Matar Sarr and Everton striker Iliman Ndiaye — both of whom have enjoyed standout seasons for club and country.
In a notable inclusion, two Africa-based players made the shortlist: Fiston Mayele of Pyramids FC, who helped his side clinch the CAF Champions League, and Oussama Lamlioui of Renaissance Berkane, both known for their clinical finishing in domestic and continental competitions.
Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman, the 2024 winner, surprisingly missed out this year, but compatriot Victor Osimhen, the 2023 winner and Galatasaray’s in-form striker, remains in contention after another stellar year.
According to CAF, the technical and development committee, along with coaches, former stars, and selected media representatives, were involved in compiling the shortlist.
Full List of 2025 CAF Player of the Year Nominees:
- Andre Frank Zambo-Anguissa (Cameroon / Napoli)
- Fiston Mayele (Congo DR / Pyramids FC)
- Mohamed Salah (Egypt / Liverpool)
- Denis Bouanga (Gabon / Los Angeles FC)
- Serhou Guirassy (Guinea / Borussia Dortmund)
- Achraf Hakimi (Morocco / PSG)
- Oussama Lamlioui (Morocco / Renaissance Berkane)
- Victor Osimhen (Nigeria / Galatasaray)
- Iliman Ndiaye (Senegal / Everton)
- Pape Matar Sarr (Senegal / Tottenham Hotspur)
