The Confederation of African Football (CAF) dropped its 2025 nominees for the men's Player of the Year award on Wednesday, spotlighting a powerhouse lineup led by Mohamed Salah, Victor Osimhen, and Achraf Hakimi, as the continent's soccer elite vies for the top individual honor amid debates over club form versus national impact.

The 10-man roster, announced via CAF's official channels, features a blend of Premier League aces, European stars, and African club standouts: Frank Anguissa (Cameroon, Napoli), Fiston Mayele (DRC, Pyramids FC), Mohamed Salah (Egypt, Liverpool), Denis Bouanga (Gabon, LAFC), Serhou Guirassy (Guinea, Borussia Dortmund), Achraf Hakimi (Morocco, PSG), Oussama Lamlioui (Morocco, RS Berkane), Victor Osimhen (Nigeria, Galatasaray), Iliman Ndiaye (Senegal, Everton), and Pape Matar Sarr (Senegal, Tottenham).

Salah, a three-time winner chasing a fourth, tops betting odds at 4/1, buoyed by 20 goals and 18 assists in Liverpool's title charge; Osimhen, the 2023 champ, follows at 5/1 after his Galatasaray loan explosion; Hakimi rounds the podium at 6/1, fresh off Morocco's Nations Cup semis.

CAF's selection criteria weigh club and international exploits from August 2024 to July 2025, with voters—coaches, captains, journalists—balloting by November. The ceremony, date TBA but likely December in Rabat per tradition, will also crown the best young player, goalkeeper, coach, club, and national team.

Early buzz favors Egypt's Salah for consistency, but Mayele's Pyramids Champions League heroics (10 goals) and Ndiaye's Everton breakout add intrigue. Critics like ex-Nigerian star Sunday Oliseh question the North African tilt—six nominees from Egypt, Morocco, or Algeria-linked clubs—while South African analyst Mark Gleeson praises the list's global reach.

As Africa's soccer economy booms—$2.5 billion in transfers last year—the award spotlights the continent's talent export, with seven nominees plying trades in Europe or MLS. Fans on X hailed it a "dream ballot," though some decried snubs like Senegal's Sadio Mané or Algeria's Riyad Mahrez. With Morocco hosting the 2025 Club World Cup, the race underscores Africa's rising clout.