The excitement is palpable as the Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) has officially announced the nominees for the Men’s Categories of the highly anticipated CAF Awards 2025. This annual event honors the remarkable contributions of players, coaches, clubs, and national teams that have shaped the landscape of African football over the past year.
The nominations reflect a rich tapestry of talent and achievement in football, recognizing those who have excelled from January 6 to October 15, 2025. A distinguished panel, consisting of members from the CAF Technical & Development Committee, experienced coaches, CAF Legends, and select media representatives, carefully curated a list of ten nominees across various categories, highlighting exceptional performances in competitions across the continent.
MEN’S PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Leading the charge for the prestigious Men’s Player of the Year award are Cameroon’s Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa and Egypt’s Mohamed Salah. Both players have delivered outstanding performances for their clubs, Napoli and Liverpool, respectively, as well as on the international stage. Other noteworthy nominees include DR Congo’s Fiston Mayele, who propelled Pyramids FC to a TotalEnergies CAF Champions League title, alongside a talented roster featuring Achraf Hakimi, Victor Osimhen, and Iliman Ndiaye.
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
The goalkeeper category showcases a blend of seasoned veterans and rising stars. Notable nominees include Yassine Bonou, who has consistently shone for both club and country, alongside last year’s titleholder Ronwen Williams and other talented keepers like Andre Onana and Edouard Mendy.
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
The interclub category sees strong representation from players of Pyramids FC and RS Berkane. Highlighted nominees like Blati Touré and Oussama Lamlioui epitomize the standout performances in the CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup.
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
Recognizing the tactical prowess within the realm of African football, this category features respected coaches such as Bubista, Hossam Hassan, and Walid Regragui. Each nominee has made significant impacts leading their teams through competitive seasons.
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
Highlighting the future of African football, the Young Player of the Year nominees represent a plethora of emerging talents, including Asharaf Tapsoba and Abdellah Ouazane, alongside promising names from South Africa.
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
The nominees for National Team of the Year reflect the growing competitiveness of African football, with teams like Morocco, Senegal, and Côte d’Ivoire emerging as strong contenders in recent qualifiers and tournaments.
Nominees:
- Algeria
- Cape Verde
- Cote d’Ivoire
- Egypt
- Ghana
- Morocco U-20
- Morocco
- Senegal
- South Africa
- Tunisia
As anticipation builds for the Awards, fans and football enthusiasts alike await to see who will be honored for their outstanding contributions to the beautiful game across Africa.
MEN’S CLUB OF THE YEAR
Dominant forces from across the continent complete the nominations. Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates represent South Africa’s resurgence, while RS Berkane (Morocco) and Pyramids FC (Egypt) are recognised for continental success. Algeria’s CR Belouizdad and CS Constantine also feature on the list.
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)
