Moroccan and Paris Saint-Germain right-back Achraf Hakimi is tipped to retain his CAF Best Footballer of the Year award following a stellar performance in 2026.
The highest-ranked African player in the 2026 Ballon d’Or standings (13th) overall is the only African player to have established himself among the world’s elite for two consecutive years.
The Atlas Lions captain was crowned Africa’s finest player last year, and he has made great strides this year again after winning back-to-back UEFA Champions League titles for his club PSG, adding to the French Ligue 1 and the UEFA Super Cup.
His individual brilliance propelled Morocco to the final of the 2025 AFCON in their backyard before playing a pivotal role in Morocco’s reaching the quarterfinal of the 2026 FIFA World Cup for a 2nd time in a row.
The best-ranked right-back in the world at the moment has claimed three UEFA Champions League titles (2018, 2025, and 2026), matching Samuel Eto’o’s record as the African player with the most Champions League titles, and has also won seven domestic league titles across Spain, Italy, and France.
Hakimi is the most capped player for his national team with over 100 international caps, including three FIFA World Cup appearances.
Hakimi is among the 26 finalists for the 2026 FIFPRO World 11, following a vote involving 19,806 professional footballers from 73 countries.
He is the only representative of an African national team among the 26 finalists,in this global selection, Hakimi stands alone in representing African football.
Having already been named in the 2025 FIFPRO World 11 and the 2025 FIFA The Best World 11, he has once again been shortlisted for the 2026 FIFPRO World 11.
The winner will be announced on 7th December in Lagos, Nigeria.
