Achraf Hakimi
Who was Achraf Hakimi?
Moroccan professional footballer who plays as a right-back for Paris Saint-Germain and the Morocco national team. He was a key player in Morocco's historic run to the 2022 FIFA World Cup semi-finals.
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Achraf Hakimi (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Achraf Hakimi Mouh was born on 4 November 1998 in Madrid, Spain, to Moroccan parents, and grew up to become one of the most accomplished right-backs in world football. Despite his Spanish birthplace, Hakimi chose to represent Morocco internationally, a decision that would prove consequential both for him and for African football as a whole. He plays for Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1 and captains the Morocco national team, roles that place him at the highest levels of the club and international game simultaneously.
Hakimi's club career began at Real Madrid, where he came through the youth academy and made his professional debut for Real Madrid Castilla in 2016 before earning promotion to the senior squad in 2017. During his time with the first team, he won the UEFA Champions League and the FIFA Club World Cup. Seeking regular playing time, he moved on a two-year loan to Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga, where he won the DFL-Supercup in 2019 and established himself as one of Europe's most dangerous attacking full-backs. His form earned him a permanent move to Inter Milan in Serie A for a reported fee of approximately 42 million euros, and he was integral to the club's 2020–21 Serie A title, their first league championship in eleven years.
In 2021, Paris Saint-Germain signed Hakimi for a reported fee of 68 million euros, making him one of the most expensive defenders in football history at the time. At PSG, he has won five Ligue 1 titles and played a central role in the club's first-ever UEFA Champions League title in 2025, memorably scoring the opening goal in a 5–0 final victory against his former club Inter Milan. These achievements cemented his reputation as a world-class defender capable of influencing matches at both ends of the pitch.
On the international stage, Hakimi made his senior debut for Morocco in 2016 at the age of 17 and has since been selected for two FIFA World Cups, four Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, and was one of three overage players chosen for Morocco's squad at the 2024 Summer Olympics. His most celebrated international moment came at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where he and the Moroccan team made history by becoming the first African nation to reach the semi-finals of a World Cup. Hakimi contributed significantly to that campaign, including scoring the decisive penalty in a shootout victory. In 2022, he was honored with the Officer of the Order of the Throne, one of Morocco's highest state decorations, in recognition of his contributions to the nation.
In 2025, Hakimi ranked sixth in the Ballon d'Or standings, the highest placement ever achieved by a Moroccan player. That same year, he was named African Player of the Year, becoming the fifth Moroccan to receive the honor and the first since Mustapha Hadji claimed it in 1998. These individual honors reflect not only his personal excellence but his broader significance within the history of African football.
Before Fame
Achraf Hakimi was born in Madrid to Moroccan immigrant parents who had settled in Spain, and he grew up in the Getafe district of the city. He joined the youth academy of Real Madrid at a young age and progressed through the club's renowned La Fábrica development system, which has produced some of the greatest players in the sport's history. His technical ability, pace, and tactical intelligence set him apart from his peers during his formative years.
His path to prominence accelerated when he broke into Real Madrid's reserve team in 2016 and earned his first-team opportunities the following year. Recognizing that regular senior football would be essential to his development, he accepted a loan move to Borussia Dortmund in 2018, where consistent playing time allowed him to refine his game and attract widespread attention across European football.
Key Achievements
- UEFA Champions League winner with Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain (2025)
- Led Morocco to the 2022 FIFA World Cup semi-finals, the first African nation to reach that stage
- Named 2025 African Player of the Year, the first Moroccan recipient since 1998
- Finished sixth in the 2025 Ballon d'Or, the highest-ever ranking for a Moroccan player
- Officer of the Order of the Throne (2022), awarded by Morocco for distinguished national service
Did You Know?
- 01.Hakimi scored the winning penalty in Morocco's 2022 FIFA World Cup round-of-16 shootout against Spain, the country of his birth, with an audacious 'Panenka' chip straight down the middle.
- 02.He became the first Moroccan player ever to rank in the top ten of the Ballon d'Or, finishing sixth in the 2025 edition.
- 03.Hakimi scored the opening goal in PSG's 5–0 UEFA Champions League final victory in 2025 against Inter Milan, the club he previously helped win a Serie A title.
- 04.Despite being born and raised in Madrid and developing at Real Madrid's academy, he has never represented Spain at any international level, having committed to Morocco from youth level onward.
- 05.He was named African Player of the Year in 2025, the first Moroccan to receive the award since Mustapha Hadji won it in 1998, the same year Hakimi was born.
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Officer of the Order of the Throne | 2022 | — |