It was at home, in Morocco and more precisely in Rabat, that Achraf Hakimi – currently deprived of the field due to a sprained ankle – came to seek the greatest individual reward of his career to date.
The right back of the Atlas Lions and PSG won the African Golden Ball as the best player on the continent for the year 2025. A title inherited by Atalanta Bergamo striker Ademola Lookman last season.
The 27-year-old Moroccan defender was thus preferred to the Egyptian Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) and the Nigerian Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray). Sixth in the 2025 Ballon d’Or won two months ago by his Parisian teammate Ousmane Dembélé, he becomes the first Atlas Lion thus distinguished since Mustapha Hadji in 1998.
The winners of the African Ballon d’Or 2025
Best player of the year: Achraf Hakimi (Morocco, PSG)
Coach of the year: Bubista (Cape Verde coach)
Best goalkeeper: Yassine Bounou (Morocco, Al-Hilal)
Best African player on the continent: Fiston Mayele (DR Congo, Pyramids)
Best young player: Othmane Maamma (Morocco, Watford)
Best men’s club: Pyramids FC (Egypt)
Best men’s selection: Morocco U20
Player of the year: Ghizlane Chebbak (Morocco, Al-Hilal)
Best goalkeeper: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Nigeria, Brighton)
Best young player: Doha El Madani (Morocco, AS FAR)
Best female selection: Nigeria
