Nigeria striker Tolu Arokodare and Morocco defender Achraf Hakimi have been honoured as Africa’s Best Players in France and Belgium for the 2024-25 season.
Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi has been awarded the 2025 Marc Vivien-Foe Prix for the best African player in the French Ligue 1, an award named in honour of former Cameroon midfielder who died during an international football game in Lyon.
Hakimi played a significant role in steering PSG to dominate and lift the French top-flight title this season and they are still in contention for a treble with the French Cup and the UEFA Champions League finals still to come.
The 2024 CAF African Player of the Year finalist saw off close competition from Senegal’s Habib Diarra (Strasbourg) and Ivory Coast’s Evann Guessand (OGC Nice) to succeed last year’s winner, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
This season, Hakimi has contributed six assists and four goals in 24 Ligue 1 games for Luis Enrique’s side and he will be focused on closing the league on a high when PSG host Auxerre on Saturday, May 17.
Saturday’s game at the Parc des Princes will see the Parisians lift their third consecutive Ligue 1 in front of home fans.
Since he moved to the French capital from Inter Milan in 2021, Hakimi has won a number of laurels in Paris which are five Ligue 1 titles, three Champions’ Trophy and one French Cup.
Arokodare claims Africa’s Best award in Belgium
In another European country this weekGenk’s Nigerian striker Tolu Arokodare claimed the Ebony Shoe for the Best African Player in Belgium.
Arokodare’s lethal goalscoring abilities earned him the coveted individual award after scoring 20 goals as the leading top scorer in the Belgian Jupiler Pro League this season.
His exploits lifted Genk to the Championship round of the Belgian top-flight where they are currently third behind Royal Union Saint-Gilloise and Club Brugge.
Arokodare’s recognition made him the 34th winner of the annual awards in Brussels, joining the likes of Daniel Amokachi, Paul Onuachu, Celestine Babayaro, Victor Ikpeba, Godwin Okpara as Nigerians who have won the award.
He said: “If Tolu who was playing football in Festac, 402 Road or 23 Road or 22 Road, if Tolu can do this and many more, then there’s nothing you cannot do.
“I also want to say a big thank you to my coach, Thurston Fink. He’s also one of the reasons why I’ve had an exceptional season. I want to say a big thank you to you. Thank you very much for all you’ve done for me.”
Arokodare’s future has been a subject of questions in the Belgian capital in recent weeks with reported transfer interests from Premier League clubs but it remains to be seen if Genk can hold on to their goalscoring machine.
