Achraf Hakimi: "I want to keep giving my all, all the time"
Named as one of the five finalists for African Player of the Year (the winner will be announced on Monday 16 December at the CAF Awards 2024 ceremony), Achraf Hakimi could round off an intense 2024 in style. At the age of 26, the Moroccan international continues to establish himself as one of the best players in the world in his position, and is now a real leader at Paris Saint-Germain.
Achraf, you've had a great year with Paris Saint-Germain. How do you look back on 2024 as it draws to a close?
"I think the record is very good. We've had a great season collectively and, individually, I'm very happy with what I've done. I hope I can carry on like this and continue to help the team by giving everything I've got so that we can achieve great things together. The coach gives me confidence, but he also helps me to see things differently on the pitch. I'm learning with him. My positioning changes a lot during matches and that's something I've learnt thanks to him. I'm very happy with that and now I want to keep giving my all, all the time."
Luis Enrique said that you were the best right-back he had ever met, we imagine that must have had an effect on you...
‘Yes, of course, it feels good when your coach says things like that. More than anything, it gives you even more motivation to keep working to repay his faith in you. You want to thank him on the pitch after words like that, and it encourages you to give everything for him and for the club."
Another sign of confidence is that you've already worn the captain's armband on several occasions...
"I'm learning a lot from this new role that the club and the team have given me. I talk to Marquinhos and Presnel Kimpembe about it, and they help me a lot. I'm very happy and very proud to be able to wear the armband. I hope I can stay here for a long time and bring pride to all Parisians."
You recently took part in the inauguration of the PSG Academy Morocco. Was it important for you to be there?
"It was a very moving moment, something that touched me a lot. It's a project that Paris Saint-Germain and my foundation have been talking about for a long time. We want to try and help young people in Morocco, offer them better conditions in which to play football, but also talk to them about certain values such as respect and discipline. We hope it will work out well, and maybe we'll find some really good new Moroccan players."
The winner of the African Ballon d'Or will be announced on 16 December. You are one of the five finalists, what does that mean to you?
"I'm very proud to have been nominated. I'm happy because it's also the result of all the hard work I've put in since I was a kid. It also gives me a lot of motivation for the future, to keep working and be nominated for this award again in the future. It's going to be an important moment that I want to spend with my family, my mother and my children. If I can win this trophy, I want them to be with me, because my family is the most important thing to me. They're always by my side through the good times and the difficult times, so I want to enjoy this moment with them."