The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially announced the nominees for the 2025 CAF Awards, honouring the best in African football across the men’s categories. The ceremony celebrates players, coaches, clubs, and national teams that have distinguished themselves through exceptional performances and contributions to the growth of the sport.
This year’s nominations spotlight some of the most influential figures in African football, whose exploits have shaped both local and international competitions. The CAF Awards remain one of the continent’s most prestigious football recognitions, celebrating excellence, talent, and the spirit of African sportsmanship.
The nominees were selected based on their performances between January 6 and October 15, 2025 a period that witnessed intense domestic leagues, continental tournaments, and international fixtures. CAF noted that the shortlisted individuals made significant impacts on and off the field, driving their teams toward remarkable successes while inspiring millions of fans across Africa.
The awards seek to recognise not only athletic brilliance but also leadership, consistency, and contribution to football’s development at various levels. This year’s list reaffirms Africa’s growing influence in global football, with its stars consistently making headlines in top European and local leagues.
According to a statement released on Monday through the CAF website, the selection process was carried out by a distinguished panel comprising members of the CAF Technical and Development Committee, veteran coaches, CAF Legends, and reputable media representatives from across the continent.
Each expert assessed the performances of athletes, coaches, and teams across all major competitions, ultimately shortlisting 10 outstanding nominees per category. The process underscores CAF’s commitment to fairness and excellence in recognising Africa’s footballing talents, ensuring that those who have made tangible contributions to the game receive due acknowledgment.
Leading this year’s list are Cameroon’s Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, who has been pivotal in Napoli’s midfield, and Egypt’s Mohamed Salah, whose consistency with Liverpool continues to elevate African representation in world football.
They are joined by other remarkable names, including Fiston Mayele of DR Congo and Pyramids FC, whose goal-scoring feats helped his club clinch the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League title; Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi of Paris Saint-Germain, Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen now playing for Galatasaray, and Senegal’s Iliman Ndiaye of Everton.
Together, these nominees embody the depth of talent and passion that define African football, setting the stage for a fiercely contested awards ceremony later this year.
Below is the complete list of nominees:
Men’s player of the year nominees
Andre Frank Zambo-Anguissa (Cameroon/Napoli)
Fiston Mayele (DR Congo/Pyramids)
Mohamed Salah (Egypt/Liverpool)
Denis Bouanga (Gabon/Los Angeles FC)
Serhou Guirassy (Guinea/Borussia Dortmund)
Achraf Hakimi (Morocco/Paris Saint-Germain)
Oussama Lamlioui (Morocco/RS Berkane)
Victor Osimhen (Nigeria/Galatasaray)
Iliman Ndiaye (Senegal/Everton)
Pape Matar Sarr (Senegal/Tottenham Hotspur)
Men’s goalkeeper of the year nominees
Andre Onana (Cameroon/Trabzonspor)
Vozinha (Cape Verde/Chaves)
Ahmed El Shenawy (Egypt/Pyramids)
Munir Mohamedi (Morocco/RS Berkane)
Yassine Bonou (Morocco/Al Hilal)
Stanley Nwabali (Nigeria/Chippa United)
Edouard Mendy (Senegal/Al Ahli)
Marc Diouf (Senegal/Tengueth)
Ronwen Williams (South Africa/Mamelodi Sundowns)
Aymen Dahmen (Tunisia/CS Sfaxien)
Men’s interclub player of the year nominees
Ismael Belkacemi (Algeria/Al Ahli Tripoli)
Blati Toure (Burkina Faso/Pyramids FC)
Issoufou Dayo (Burkina Faso/RS Berkane)
Fiston Mayele (DR Congo/Pyramids)
Ahmed Samy (Egypt/Pyramids)
Emam Ashour (Egypt/Al Ahly)
Ibrahim Adel (Egypt/Pyramids)
Mohamed Hrimat (Morocco/AS FAR)
Mohamed Chibi (Morocco/Pyramids)
Oussama Lamlioui (Morocco/RS Berkane)
Shomari Kapombe (Tanzania/Simba)
Men’s coach of the year nominees
Bubista (Cape Verde)
Hossam Hassan (Egypt)
Krunoslav Jurcic (Pyramids)
Sami Trabelsi (Tunisia)
Romuald Rakotondrabe (Madagascar CHAN)
Moine Chaabani (RS Berkane)
Tarik Sektioui (Morocco CHAN)
Mohamed Ouahbi (Morocco U-20)
Walid Regragui (Morocco)
Pape Thiaw (Senegal)
Men’s young player of the year nominees
Asharaf Tapsoba (Burkina Faso/Real du Faso)
Alynho Haidara (Cote d’Ivoire/ Mainz 05 Jacqueville)
Noah Sadiki (DR Congo/Sunderland)
Abdellah Ouazane (Morocco/Ajax)
Houssam Essadak (Morocco/US Touarga)
Othmane Maamma (Morocco/Watford)
Daniel Bameyi (Nigeria/Primorje)
Momoh Kamara (Sierra Leone/Minnesota United)
Mbekezeli Mbokazi (South Africa/Orlando Pirates)
Tylon Smith (South Africa/Queens Park Rangers)
Men’s national team of the year nominees
Algeria
Cape Verde
Cote d’Ivoire
Egypt
Ghana
Morocco U-20
Morocco
Senegal
South Africa
Tunisia
Men’s club of the year nominees
CR Belouizdad (Algeria)
CS Constantine (Algeria)
ASEC Mimosas (Cote d’Ivoire)
Pyramids (Egypt)
RS Berkane (Morocco)
Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
Orlando Pirates (South Africa)
Stellenbosch (South Africa)
Al Hilal (Sudan)
Simba (Tanzania)