Morocco’s Ghizlane Chebbak has been crowned the 2025 CAF Women’s Player of the Year, edging out Nigeria’s Rasheedat Ajibade in a tightly contested category that highlighted the rising strength of women’s football across Africa.
Chebbak, who plays for Al Hilal, topped a three-woman shortlist that included Ajibade, the Paris Saint-Germain forward, and Morocco’s Sanaa Mssoudy of AS FAR.
A standout performer for both club and country, Chebbak impressed voters with her impressive performance throughout the year.
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She played an important role in Morocco’s strong international performances and continued to shine at the club level with commanding displays in midfield.
Nigeria’s Ajibade, who also enjoyed an outstanding year with the Super Falcons and PSG, narrowly missed out on the award.
The Nigerian forward had been widely considered a favourite following her impactful spell at Atletico Madrid, her successful move to PSG, and her influential displays as a leader in the Super Falcons squad.
Had she won, Ajibade would have become the fifth Nigerian to claim Africa’s top women’s football honour.
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The 2025 CAF Awards proved to be a memorable night for Moroccan football, with the country dominating the ceremony by collecting six major accolades, the most of any nation.
From senior stars Achraf Hakimi, Ghizlane Chebbak, and Yassine Bounou to emerging talents Doha El Madani and Othmane Maama, Morocco shone across the board.
