Mohamed Salah has been snubbed for another major award in his native continent, overlooked as the African Player of the Year in favour of PSG’s Achraf Hakimi.
After a record-breaking 2024/25 season that saw Salah catapult Liverpool to the Premier League title in a campaign that concluded with 34 goals and 23 assists, individual awards were expected.
Salah was recognised in England, winning the Premier League, PFA and FWA Player of the Year in acknowledgement of his stellar season, but he has been snubbed elsewhere.
Achraf Hakimi wins African Player of the Year ahead of Mo Salah
Salah was considered the favourite for the 2025 African Player of the Year after the 10-man shortlist dwindled to three, but he was snubbed at the award ceremony on Wednesday.
The 33-year-old did not attend the ceremony in Morocco, with a selfie with his daughter on Wednesday all but confirming his absence as PSG’s Hakimi instead took home the award.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, May 25, 2025: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah poses for photographs with his golden boots and the Premier League trophy after the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Crystal Palace FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
The PSG right-back became the first defender to claim the award in 52 years after winning five trophies last season, with Salah and Victor Osimhen finishing as runners-up.
Salah, incredibly, has not been named Africa’s Player of the Year since 2018, when he became the first player since Yaya Toure to win it consecutively following his inaugural crown in 2017.
He finished as runner-up to Sadio Mane in both 2019 and 2022, was third when Osimhen won it in 2023, and was snubbed altogether last year when Ademola Lookman took home the prize.
It comes after Salah’s fourth-placed finish in the Ballon d’Or, a career high and two places ahead of Hakimi (sixth) – another example of how often the Egyptian is overlooked during the award season.
Despite his record-breaking consistency in front of goal, Salah does not receive the recognition he deserves but, as ever, Liverpool will hope that drives him on in the weeks and months to come.
Egypt FA confirm talks for early AFCON Mo Salah release
Mohamed Salah Egypt (Sebo47 / Alamy Stock Photo)
Liverpool could still lose Salah earlier than expected ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations next month, with Egypt chief Ibrahim Hassan confirming talks with the club.
Salah will join the Egypt squad for a mid-season Africa Cup of Nations, with the No. 11 already slated to miss at least three games for his club.
But Hassan, director of the Egyptian national team, has told winwin that talks are underway with both Liverpool and Man City over the early release of Salah and Omar Marmoush.
That comes with Egypt organising a warmup friendly with Nigeria on December 14, as part of a training camp ahead of the tournament which begins on December 21.
It had been expected that Salah and Marmoush would only depart for AFCON following their clashes with Brighton (Dec 13) and Crystal Palace (Dec 14) respectively.
But if they were to join Egypt for that friendly in Cairo, it would mean missing an additional game for their clubs.