Morocco international and Real Madrid defender Achraf Hakimi has been named the winner of the CAF Youth Player of the Year Award beating the Super Eagles duo of Samuel Chukwueze and Victor Osimhen to the honour.
The 21-year-old – on loan at Borussia Dortmund – has now won the award back-to-back having claimed the award in 2018. The young defender adds the Best Young Player on the continent to the Best Young Arab Player of the Year gong he had already picked up at the Globe Soccer Awards.
Achraf Hakimi is the 2019 African Youth Player of the Year! 🏆
Much more to come from this young star 🌟#CAFAwards2019 pic.twitter.com/t3YqOrE2b5
— CAF (@CAF_Online) January 7, 2020
🇩🇿 ❤️ 🇲🇦 #CAFAwards2019 pic.twitter.com/XWiPaQ9D2d
— CAF (@CAF_Online) January 7, 2020
However, the Nigeria duo of Chukwueze and Osimhen would have felt hard done by after enjoying a brilliant year as well.
Villarreal’s Chukwueze was a nightmare for defenders in the La Liga after bursting on to the scene as a talented 19-year-old. He then capped it with a goal at the 2019 AFCON were he was part of the Super Eagles side that finished in third place.
Osimhen, on his part, had a year like no other. The 21-year-old left Royal Charleroi in the summer after blasting 20 goals in 36 games for the Belgian side. He has not slowed down since moving to France with the former U-17 World Cup winner now recording 13 goals in all competitions for Les Dogues.
Hakimi, though, is a worthy winner with the Moroccan also named in the continent’s Best XI of 2019. No Nigerian made that list.
🇨🇲 @AndreyOnana
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🇲🇦 @AchrafHakimi
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🇸🇳 #SadioMane@FIFProAfrica's Best 1⃣1⃣ for 2⃣0⃣1⃣9⃣! #CAFAwards2019 pic.twitter.com/7pWbAjgelD— CAF (@CAF_Online) January 7, 2020