Morocco gets lion’s share of 2023 CAF football awards

Moroccan professional football manager and former player Walid Regragui was crowned CAF's Best Coach of the Year for the men’s category, during the 2023 CAF Awards ceremony, held Monday evening at the Palais des Congrès of Marrakech. Regragui beat Algeria’s Abdelhak Benchikha and Senegal’s coach Aliou Cisse.

Moroccan international, Yassine Bounou, also won the award for Best Goalkeeper in Africa for the year 2023. Bounou was ahead of both goalkeepers, Andre Onana (Cameroon, Manchester United) and Mohamed El-Shenawy (Egypt, Al-Ahly).

The Moroccan football team was crowned with the Best Team in Africa award for the men’s category. The Atlas Lions, who reached the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup last year in Qatar, won this award ahead of the Gambia and Senegal teams.

Professional footballer Nesryne El Chad, who plays as a defender for Division 1 Féminine club Lille and the Morocco women's national team, won the award for Best Emerging African player for the year 2023. Chad ranked first before Comfort Yeboah (Ghana, Ampem Darkoa Ladies F.C.) and Deborah Abiodun (Nigeria, Pittsburgh Panthers). 

Moroccan midfielder for AS FAR and the Morocco women's national Fatima Zahra Tagnaout won the Best African Club player award for the year 2023. Tagnaout ranked first, before player of the Botswana Mamelodi Sundowns team, Refilwe Tholakele, and South Africa’s Lebogang Ester Ramalepe.