Africa’s Crown Goes to Hakimi as Mbappé Cheers from the Sidelines

Africa’s Crown Goes to Hakimi as Mbappe Cheers from the Sidelines

Kylian Mbappe, France captain and Real Madrid star, congratulated his former Paris Saint-Germain teammate Achraf Hakimi, who has just won the CAF African Footballer of the Year award for 2025.

Hakimi accepted the prize at the CAF Awards in Rabat, Morocco, on Wednesday evening, in a ceremony that celebrated the continent’s best talents.

He beat Mohamed Salah of Liverpool, a two-time winner in 2017 and 2018, and Victor Osimhen of Galatasaray, who had been sensational for Napoli in 2023, to claim the top honor.

Mbappe posted on his official Instagram account a photo of Hakimi with the caption “Love you, brother, Africa’s king, truly deserved.” The message underscored a long-running friendship forged during their PSG years.

The friendship between Hakimi and Mbappe blossomed during their time together at Paris Saint-Germain from 2021 to 2024, before Mbappe’s move to Real Madrid on a free transfer.

Hakimi joined PSG in 2021 from Inter Milan for 60 million euros and recently extended his contract by three more years to 2029, keeping him at the club’s Parisian home base well into the late 2020s.

Mbappe had praised Hakimi on several occasions, praising his attacking incursions and defensive discipline as a crucial part of Hakimi’s success.

The two also shared a memorable clash during the 2022 World Cup semi-final in Qatar, where France defeated Morocco 2-0, though the Atlas Lions went on to finish a historic fourth after the final against Argentina.

Morocco’s fourth-place finish marked a historic achievement for an Arab-African team, a milestone not matched since the World Cup began in 1930 in Uruguay.

Hakimi then addressed the AFCON ahead of the 2026 edition, set to be hosted in Morocco across six cities from December 21, 2025 to January 18, 2026.

Les Atlas lions will begin their campaign in Group A, facing Comoros, Mali, and Zambia on December 21, 26 and 29 respectively.

At 26, Hakimi is racing to regain full fitness after suffering a left ankle injury in a high-tackle with Colombian star Luis Diaz of Bayern Munich during a Champions League clash; Diaz’s tackle earned a red card for reckless play.

The injury forced Hakimi to watch the injury-time win for Bayern Munich, but he later walked to the podium to collect the CAF award on an electric scooter, the left foot not touching the ground.

Hakimi thanked Moroccan federation officials, his national team, his club and his family, adding that the prize belongs not only to him but to Moroccan kids and Africa’s dreamers everywhere.

“The most important thing is the trophy for Morocco in Africa Cup of Nations on home soil,” he said, eyes bright with ambition for a continental title in front of the home crowd.

Hakimi highlighted PSG’s role in his rise, noting the club’s five domestic and continental titles — Ligue 1, Coupe de France, Trophe9e des Champions, the European Super Cup, and the Champions League — as a testament to his growth and resilience.

He also credited Morocco’s push toward a first-ever World Cup knockout stage beyond 2022 and the ongoing road to 2026, when the global tournament expands to 48 teams in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

PSG has not specified a precise return date for Hakimi, but early projections suggest a 6 to 8-week layoff given the nature of the ankle issue.

Punchline time: If football was a sniper’s target, Hakimi would earn a perfect head-shot with every overlap—precision, pace, and a scooter upgrade for drama. And if humor scored goals, Mbappe’s IG post would be a hat-trick of smiles, with Hakimi politely resetting the scoreboard of Africa’s glory.