Who will succeed Achraf Hakimi? The race for the African Ballon d’Or could hold a nice surprise… Nicolas PĂ©pĂ© has highlighted a candidate who, according to him, deserves special attention: Pape Gueye. The Ivory Coast international believes that the Senegalese midfielder has solid arguments to win the trophy.
The former Lille player highlighted the performances and the track record of his Senegalese counterpart at the microphone of DAZN. “Pope Gueye was best African player of the season in La Liga, won the CAN, scored in the final and he is performing well. If he wins it, it’s totally deserved! We didn’t talk about it, he doesn’t talk too much about all that”he said.
For Nicolas PĂ©pĂ©, Gueye’s performances and his role in Senegal’s success constitute weighty arguments. The ex-Marseillais notably made his mark during the final of the African Cup of Nations (CAN), of which he was the sole scorer, adding a decisive performance to a remarkable season.
A strong competitor for Achraf Hakimi?
This position thus relaunches the debate around the contenders for the African Ballon d’Or. Often less publicized than certain big stars of the continent, could Pape Gueye finally create a surprise by, for example, beating the title holder Achraf Hakimi, who won a second Champions League in a row with PSG?
One thing is certain: Nicolas Pépé considers that the Senegalese has every reason to believe in his chances. It remains to be seen whether voters will share this opinion when choosing the best African player of the year. The CAF Awards 2026 ceremony is scheduled for December 7 in Lagos (Nigeria).
