Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah has missed out on the African Footballer of the Year award, with Paris Saint-Germain’s Achraf Hakimi scooping the coveted prize instead.
Salah had been shortlisted for the award alongside Hakimi and Galatasaray’s Victor Osimhen following a superb individual season in which he scored 34 goals and added 23 assists to help Liverpool to the Premier League title, as well as leading Egypt to qualification for next year’s World Cup.
It’s Hakimi though that has won the award for the first time in his career, having won a treble - including the Champions League - with PSG last season.
"It's really an honour for me to win this prestigious trophy," Hakimi said. "This trophy is not just for me - it is for all the Africans that have dreams."
Hakimi claims the award for the first time, having finished as runner-up in 2023 and 2024, with the Moroccan international also set to be at next year’s World Cup.
The defender faces a race against time to be fit for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations though, which is set to be held in his home country. Hakimi is recovering from an ankle injury, with Morocco hopeful he will be fit in time for the start of the tournament on December 21.
Paris Saint-Germain's Moroccan defender Achraf Hakimi (C) holds his Africa Player of the Year award next to CAF President Patrice Motsepe (L) and FIFA President Gianni Infantino (R)
Paris Saint-Germain's Moroccan defender Achraf Hakimi (C) holds his Africa Player of the Year award next to CAF President Patrice Motsepe (L) and FIFA President Gianni Infantino (R) (Image: Getty Images)
"We will do our best to win the Afcon trophy," Hakimi added. "I'd like to thank my physiotherapists and those that support me in this difficult period."
Morocco captain Ghizlane Chebbak won the women’s prize, beating international teammate Sanaa Mssoudy and Nigeria’s Rasheedat Ajibade to the award.
Salah missed out on making it a hat-trick of awards, having previously won the prize in 2017 and 2018. The 33-year-old has since finished inside the top three on four other occasions.
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Salah will be reporting back to Liverpool this week ahead of the Reds' return to action in the Premier League against Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
The winger played the full 90 minutes for Egypt in its 2-0 defeat to Uzbekistan in the Al Ain International Cup last week, before being rested for the third-place play-off against Cape Verde, which the Pharaohs won after a penalty shootout.
Salah will soon be heading off to Morocco as he looks to guide his country to an eighth Africa Cup of Nations title. Discussions are currently ongoing with Liverpool over him being released early for his international duties, with Egypt hoping to have him involved for a warm-up game against Nigeria on December 14.