Achraf Hakimi Makes History in UCL Final for Morocco

Post by : Bianca Suleiman

Photo: Reuters

Achraf Hakimi has made Morocco and the whole of Africa proud again. Wrapped in a Moroccan flag, he celebrated after winning the Champions League with PSG against Inter Milan. He made history by becoming the first Moroccan player ever to score in a Champions League final.

That’s not all. Hakimi also became the first player to score against his former club in a Champions League final. But even after scoring, he didn’t celebrate out of respect for Inter Milan — the club where he played for a season under coach Antonio Conte and helped them win the Italian league.

PSG Showed No Mercy Except Hakimi

Hakimi’s quiet celebration was the only soft moment from PSG that night. They completely crushed Inter Milan with a 5-0 win, the biggest victory in Champions League final history. This is Hakimi’s second Champions League title, but the first where he truly played a big role. He had won it once before with Real Madrid, but he didn’t play much in that season.

A Defender Who Plays Like a Striker

Hakimi plays as a right-back, which means his main job is to defend. But in this game, he made a clever run into the box and scored like a professional striker. This type of play is exactly what PSG coach Luis Enrique wants from his players — everyone must attack and defend together.

Hakimi loves this system because it gives him the freedom to run forward and join the attack. He has been amazing this season, scoring 4 goals and giving 5 assists in the Champions League. That’s more than any other defender this year. He’s also third in assists among all players in the tournament.

Even PSG’s left-back, Nuno Mendes, plays well in this system, although he often stays back to protect the defense while Hakimi moves up.

Stats Prove He’s the Best Right-Back

Hakimi has performed in the most important moments — he scored in the quarter-final, semi-final, and final, and even in the Coupe de France final. For PSG this season, he has 9 goals and 14 assists in all matches.

No defender in the top 7 leagues in Europe has had more touches or passes per game than Hakimi. He is playing at a world-class level, and many now believe that he’s the best right-back in the world.

My Pick for African Player of the Year

Many fans believe Hakimi should win the African Player of the Year award, even ahead of Mohamed Salah. Yes, Salah helped Liverpool win the English Premier League, but Hakimi won the treble with PSG — that’s three trophies — and was outstanding on Europe’s biggest nights.

He has shown skill, heart, and great sportsmanship. More people need to recognize just how important Achraf Hakimi has been this season. He deserves full respect.