Moroccan defender Achraf Hakimi has admitted it is “difficult” to return to his native country because of too much attention from fans.
“I try to go to Morocco as much as I can, but it’s getting a little bit difficult to vacation there because of the crowds and excitement at the moment,” he said.
Hakimi’s comments were made in a cover interview conducted with GQ Middle East, the first given by the football defender since Morocco’s unexpected run during the Qatar World Cup 2022.
The 24-year-old has become one of the hottest properties in football, just seven years after being banned by FIFA following an investigation into whether Real Madrid illegally signed underage players from overseas.
Born in Madrid, Spain, to Moroccan parents, Hakimi said that, “It gives me such an incredible amount of pride to put on the Morocco shirt and represent millions of Moroccans.”
“I feel so happy to have played as well as we did and to have held the Moroccan flag as high as possible. As a team, we are so united, and we were so clear about what we wanted to achieve. That was one of the strongest aspects of our selection. We were very tight, and we spent so many incredible moments together. Although it had only been a month, it felt like we had been together so much longer.”
Hakimi currently plays for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain alongside Kylian Mbappe, who Hakimi considers “more than a friend, a brother.”
For the next generation of footballers, Hakimi advises that they, “enjoy their lives, work hard, and allow themselves to dream of anything they might want to achieve in the future.”
“No one can tell them that they can’t achieve it because all dreams can come true — I am an example of that. I have always dreamt of being a footballer and, today, I am lucky enough to be one. With hard work and determination, everything can be achieved.”
Morocco had an unprecedented run at the Qatar World Cup before going out 2-0 to France in the semi-finals.
The moment marked the best performance by an African and Arab team in World Cup history.
After Morocco’s defeat to France, Mbappe and Hakimi swapped shirts, with the French player telling Hakimi, “You made history,” in a Twitter post after the loss.
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