AFCON 2025 winner Pape stops Inaki Williams, beats Super Eagles rivals to LaLiga African MVP Award

• Villarreal CF midfield anchor Pape Gueye has officially won the 2025/26 SPORTY LaLiga MVP award as the best African player in Spanish football.

• The 27-year-old Senegal international was announced as the winner at a star-studded LALIGA Africa event right here in Lagos, Nigeria.

• Gueye claimed 38% of the vote, stopping Ghana’s Iñaki Williams from securing a historic hat-trick of titles, while pushing teammate Nicolas Pépé into third.

Move over, Ghana and Nigeria, the Teranga Lions have officially taken over Spain after Villarreal CF’s midfield general Pape Gueye was officially crowned the 2025/26 SPORTY LaLiga MVP, earning the title of the absolute best African player in LALIGA EA SPORTS.

In a massive statement of Amplifying Impact, the 27-year-old Senegal international scooped up a whopping 38% of the total votes, completely breaking the multi-year Ghanaian stranglehold on the prestigious award.

The announcement was made in grand style on Sunday, May 24, 2026, at an exclusive, high-octane gala in Lagos, Nigeria.

The event brought together African football royalty, including El Clasico legends Alex Song and Geremi Njitap, alongside top media influencers, public figures, and passionate fans who watched the final-day Spanish drama unfold.

Winning this award was no small feat. Gueye had to edge out some of the most devastating attacking talents on the continent.

He finished comfortably ahead of Athletic Club’s Ghana star Inaki Williams, the two-time consecutive reigning MVP winner, who finished second with 24% of the vote.

Gueye also beat out his own high-flying Villarreal teammate, Ivorian winger Nicolas Pepe, who pulled up in third place with 22%, and Nigerian duo Akor Adams and Chidera Ejuke.

For a defensive midfielder to capture the hearts of voters over flashy wingers shows just how monstrous Gueye's season has been.

He completely ran the engine room for the Yellow Submarine, acting as the driving force that secured Champions League football for Villarreal for the second consecutive season.

Reacting to the historic win, a proud Gueye couldn't hide his emotion:

“It’s a real source of pride, and an honour, to be named the best African player in LALIGA. It’s the first individual award of my career, and it means a lot to me because in everything I achieve, I’m also representing all of Senegal. Right now at Villarreal I’m experiencing the best moment of my career.”

The connection between African football fans and LaLiga has completely exploded, with fan voting on the MILIGA Fan Zone platform skyrocketing by over 150% compared to last season.

Gueye now joins an elite, highly exclusive roll call of African footballing royalty. He follows in the footsteps of previous iconic winners like Morocco's Yassine Bounou (2022), Ghana's Inaki Williams (2024, 2025), and our very own Super Eagles winger Samuel Chukwueze, who took home the crown in 2023.