A Spanish press report revealed today, Wednesday, that the Moroccan national team has received a severe blow due to the long absence of its star player, Achraf Hakimi, a Paris Saint-Germain player.
Hakimi suffered a severe injury during the match against Bayern Munich yesterday, Tuesday, as a result of a strong tackle by Colombian star Luis Diaz, which led to his expulsion.
According to the Spanish newspaper “AS”, Hakimi will be out of the fields for a period ranging between 6 and 8 weeks.
This injury comes at a time when Morocco is preparing to host the African Cup of Nations from December 21, 2025 to January 18, 2026.
The newspaper explained that Hakimi’s ankle injury is less severe than it initially appeared, adding that the “Lion of Morocco” may miss the group stage of the African Cup of Nations.
Hakimi underwent medical examinations this morning, Wednesday, and they showed that he needs to have his joint stabilized for two weeks, and that he will be absent for a period ranging between 6 and 8 weeks.
Mixed feelings
The Champions League night at the “Parc des Princes” stadium turned into a terrifying nightmare for the Moroccans, after the captain of the “Atlas Lions” fell injured after a violent intervention by Luis Diaz, to leave the field carried on a stretcher amidst a painful scene that shook the stands and caused a resounding shock in the Moroccan street.
According to Koora sources, Hakimi’s injury did not go unnoticed within the corridors of Moroccan football, as an unprecedented state of alert spread immediately after the footage was circulated, prompting the President of the Federation, Fouzi Lekjaa, and the national team coach, Walid Regragui, to move quickly to check on the Paris Saint-Germain star.
The sources confirmed that Regragui, who is in Doha to support the youth team participating in the World Cup there, contacted Hakimi directly immediately after the accident, while Lekjaa took the initiative to contact the player’s entourage to closely monitor his health.
A blow on the day of celebration
Hakimi lived his worst night on a day that was supposed to be the most beautiful, as the match in which he was injured yesterday coincided with his celebration of his 27th birthday, which made the incident more cruel and painful.
On the morning of the match, the Parisian club had published a special congratulation to its Moroccan star, accompanied by his outstanding achievements, as he is the most capped Moroccan player in the Champions League, and one of the most prominent defenders in the history of the African continent.
Hakimi also appeared before the match in a filmed interview with the club’s website in which he talked about his ambitions for the new year, identifying 3 main goals: “Winning the African Cup of Nations with Morocco, winning the African Ballon d’Or, and leading Paris Saint-Germain to maintain the Champions League title.”
But the night of the dream turned into a nightmare after Diaz’s strong intervention threw him to the ground amidst excruciating pain.
More than just a player
Achraf Hakimi’s injury was not just a blow to his French team, but a real shock to Moroccan football, as he is not just a right-back in the national team, but a symbol of an entire generation, and the leader of a national football project that has carried the hopes of fans since the Qatar World Cup.
Hakimi is classified as the most expensive African defender in history, having played more than 480 matches in his professional career, during which he scored 60 goals and provided 139 assist, which are unprecedented figures in his position.
He is also the first player to score for Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final last season against Inter Milan, after he had also shaken the net in the quarter-finals and semi-finals, immortalizing his name in the history of the French club.
The night of Parisian sadness
Kooora learned from sources close to the club that the player was immediately transferred to one of the most famous clinics in the capital, Paris, to assess his condition, amid great fear of a fracture in his ankle.
However, initial examinations revealed that the injury, despite its severity, did not amount to a fracture, but rather a severe sprain in the right ankle, which means that surgical intervention is unlikely at the present time.
Hakimi later appeared wearing a special ankle protector while leaving the clinic, in a sign that the next stage will depend on physical therapy and stabilization, not surgery, which is news that sent some reassurance in Moroccan circles after long hours of anticipation and fear.
Concern in Morocco… and cautious optimism
“Kooora” sources confirmed that the atmosphere within the Moroccan Federation and the technical staff tends to be cautiously optimistic, as medical estimates indicate that the maximum period of absence may not exceed two months, which means that the Paris star will be able to return in time to participate in the CAN, and perhaps from the third match in the group stage.
This injury brings back to mind a similar scene that Hakimi experienced before the 2019 African Cup of Nations, when he was injured with Borussia Dortmund and underwent similar surgery, but he recovered quickly and joined the national team before the tournament with amazing fitness.
