Mohamed Salah, Victor Osimhen and Achraf Hakimi are among past winners — and now 20-year-old Tylon Smith, a QPR defender yet to make a senior league appearance, is in the running for African Youth Player of the Year.
Smith was nominated after helping South Africa win the U20 AFCON in May and is one of three finalists ahead of the ceremony in Morocco on Wednesday. He told Sky Sports that the nomination is “huge” and that, as a defender, it’s rare to be recognised in this way. “I feel I deserve it because I played a really good tournament,” he said.
South Africa’s U20 AFCON triumph was the nation’s first at that level, and Smith was named Player of the Tournament — an honour he attributes to “consistency and discipline.” “Usually it goes to forwards,” he added. “But for me as a defender it was amazing. I felt proud because I played a very good tournament and my hard work paid off. We made the country proud and made history.”
The year has moved quickly for Smith. Shortly after the tournament he travelled to London to sign for QPR, having not yet made a senior league appearance for his former club, Stellenbosch FC. Asked if he signed because QPR’s Loftus Road sits on South Africa Road in west London, he laughed: “I didn’t know that when I signed. My agent told me whenever I miss home, I can go there and feel like I’m back in South Africa.”
Homesickness has not been overwhelming. “As a child I believed I would play overseas,” Smith said. “It was always my dream to make it as a pro so I could provide for my family back home. The moment my agent told me QPR were interested I never considered staying in South Africa. It was always my dream to play in Europe. I’m still settling in. My first days here in England were a bit strange, being all by myself with no family, but I’m doing well so far.”
Smith has yet to feature in the Championship for QPR but did play 90 minutes in the Carabao Cup. He then left London for several weeks to represent South Africa at the U20 World Cup. That cup tie at Plymouth in August ended in defeat, but he described the experience as a thrill: “The game was physical, but it was nice. It was my first game at a high level. Even though the result wasn’t good, I feel I did well and I’m happy about it. My family watched from home. It was great that they could see me play at a professional level. That was always my dream.”
His immediate aim is to break into the QPR first team. “My focus is on QPR,” he said. “The boss [head coach Julien Stéphan] told me to keep pushing and working hard every day. He likes what I am doing so far.”
Smith also harbours hopes of making South Africa’s squad for next summer’s World Cup — the country’s first qualification since hosting in 2010. “I think there’s hope for me,” he said. “If I can get a call-up to the under-23 team in December and prove myself, it will help. I’ll stay disciplined and consistent, and you never know.” Winning the Youth Player of the Year award would certainly boost that ambition.
Past CAF Youth Player of the Year winners
2024 – Lamine Camara, Senegal
2023 – Lamine Camara, Senegal
2022 – Pape Matar Sarr, Senegal
2019 – Achraf Hakimi, Morocco
2018 – Achraf Hakimi, Morocco
2017 – Patson Daka, Zambia
2016 – Alex Iwobi, Nigeria
2015 – Victor Osimhen, Nigeria
Notable winners of the now-defunct CAF Most Promising Talent of the Year award include Kelechi Iheanacho (2013, 2016), Yacine Brahimi (2014), Mo Salah (2012), Salomon Kalou (2008), John Obi Mikel (2005), Obafemi Martins (2003, 2004) and Mido (2002).