Super Falcons goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie stood tall for the third straight year on the CAF Awards podium, winning the Women’s Goalkeeper of The Year Award at the 2025 ceremony in Rabat, Morocco, on Wednesday night, Punch reports.
Her compatriot and Super Falcons captain, Rasheedat Ajibade, was only close to winning her first Women’s Player of The Year Award, but she was beaten to the honour by Morocco’s Ghizlane Chebbak.
Morocco defender Achraf Hakimi also won the prestigious Men’s Player of The Year Award ahead of Super Eagles striker and 2023 winner, Victor Osimhen, as well as 2018 winner, Mohamed Salah. Hakimi’s win ended Nigeria’s back-to-back triumph with Osimhen (2023) and Ademola Lookman (2024).
Hosted in Morocco for the third straight year, the North Africans won the first two awards for the players – Doha El Madani and U-20 World Cup winner Othmane Maamma claimed the women’s and men’s young player of the year awards. Madani was voted ahead of Nigeria’s Shakirat Moshood, who captained the Flamingos to the second round of the U-17 World Cup in Morocco.
For the third time in a row, the Super Falcons were crowned the Women’s National Team of The Year, thanks to their record-extending 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations triumph in Morocco in July. They beat Ghana and Morocco to the honour.
New men’s U-20 world champions, the Morocco U-20 team, also won the Men’s National Team of The Year Award after taking the world by storm in Chile last month. The award was handed out by former African Footballer of The Year, Victor Ikpeba.
Super Falcons goalkeeper Nnadozie also claimed her third Women’s Goalkeeper of The Year Award ahead of Khadija Er-Rmichi (Morocco / AS FAR) and Andile Dlamini (South Africa / Mamelodi Sundowns).
Morocco’s Yassine Bonou reclaimed the Men’s Goalkeeper of The Year Award from South Africa’s Ronwen Williams, who was also nominated this year alongside another Moroccan, Munir Mohamedi, who plays for CAF Confederation Cup winners RS Berkane.
CAF Champions League holders, Pyramids of Egypt, beat FIFA Club World Cup campaigners Mamelodi Sundowns and CAF Confederation Cup winners, RS Berkane, to the Men’s Club of The Year Award.
Pyramids and DR Congo striker, Fiston Mayele, was also named the CAF Interclub Player of The Year after his nine goals in last season’s CAF Champions League powered his team to their first title.
Cape Verde coach, Bubista, claimed the Men’s Coach of The Year Award after leading the country to their first-ever FIFA World Cup qualification in October, topping a group that included Cameroon. The women’s coach award, in which Nigeria’s Justine Madugu was nominated, was not presented due to the ongoing CAF Women’s Champions League.
The grand moment of the night was ushered in by the performance of Congolese legend Awilo Longomba, and the roars went up inside the hall as Morocco claimed the women’s and men’s player awards.
Morocco women’s national team captain, Chebbak, won the women’s honour ahead of her compatriot, Sanaa Mssoudy, and Nigeria captain, Ajibade, who led the country to a 10th WAFCON triumph in July.
Perhaps undisputedly, PSG defender Hakimi lifted the Men’s Player of The Year Award to the delight of the home crowd, ending their three-year wait for the top prize, as the event has also been held on their soil.
Hosted by Moroccan comedian and actor, Oualass as well as Grammy award winner, Angélique Kidjo, the night also featured three renowned musicians, Douaa Lahyaoui, Awilo and Fuse ODG, each representing a different generation and musical expression, in celebration of the continent’s creativity and cultural diversity on Africa’s biggest football stage.
