Hakimi Crowned African Ballon d'Or Winner, Receives "Well Deserved" Message from Teammate Dembélé, "World's Best Player."

French star Ousmane Dembélé congratulated his teammate Achraf Hakimi after he was crowned with the African Ballon d'Or 2025 award. Hakimi received the accolade this evening, Wednesday, at a ceremony hosted by Mohammed VI Polytechnic University in Rabat, the capital of the Kingdom of Morocco.

Dembélé posted a picture of Hakimi on his Instagram account, commenting: "Well deserved, my brother." This message came from the "world's best player" to his teammate and the recipient of the African Ballon d'Or.

Hakimi's triumph ended a 27-year wait for Morocco, as he crowned his efforts throughout last season by securing the prestigious award. He becomes the first Moroccan to win the African Ballon d'Or since Mustapha Hadji in 1998.

Looking back, the Moroccan international's nomination was a testament to his outstanding performance last season. He was one of the key architects of the Parisian club's success, leading them to win several titles, most notably the UEFA Champions League for the first time in their history.