In Morocco, the pill does not pass after the defeat of Achraf Hakimi against Ademola Lookman for the African Ballon d’Or 2024…
The ceremony of CAF Awards took place without major incident in Marrakech, but the results continue to spark debate. Atalanta Bergamo star Ademola Lookman has been elected African Player of the Year. A logical choice for many, given the Nigerian’s full season. But which provokes indignation in Morocco, where many cry out for injustice and thought that Achraf Hakimi, author of a remarkable year, was more deserving of this distinction, which he apparently expected to receive…
A shock for the player
According to Al Mountakhabthe Lion of the Atlas had good reasons to believe in his victory. Invited to the ceremony, he would have received favorable indices from the Confederation of African Football (CAF), and his presence in Marrakech with his family suggested that he was one of the favorites.
However, the outcome was quite different. Ademola Lookman himself would have been surprised to receive the trophy, while Hakimi left the room, visibly shaken, accompanied by his mother. Some wonder if CAF did not deliberately “trap” the Moroccan, just in order to have the five finalists present on site, for fear that he would not travel if he had been informed of his defeat at advance.
A brilliant year for Hakimi
At 26, the defender of Paris Saint-Germain wore the colors of Morocco brilliantly in 2024. He won a historic bronze medal at the Paris Olympic Games and played a key role in the Atlas Lions’ run at the Africa Cup of Nations. On the club level, he won the Ligue 1-Coupe de France double with PSG and started the new season on a high, scoring 3 goals and providing 6 assists in 19 matches in all competitions.
Despite these achievements, Hakimi was not crowned, to the great dismay of his loved ones and Moroccan supporters. Atlas Lions striker Soufiane Rahimi and assistant coach Rachid Benmahmoud expressed their incomprehension on the networks social media, while Moroccan media were quick to criticize the decision.
A well-rooted controversy
The media Moroccan Hespress reported fans’ surprise and frustration after Lookman’s victory. The latter hoped to see Hakimi become the fifth Moroccan in history to receive this prize. But according to journalists, the performance of Lookman, author of a hat-trick in the Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen, would have tipped the scales in his favor.
For his part, Al Mountakhab did not mince his words, calling the decision unfair: “ For the second time, Africa steals the Ballon d’Or from a Moroccan Lion. » The media criticized the Confederation of African Football (CAF), accusing it of lacking rigor and transparency in its selection criteria. According to them, Hakimi, winner of several major titles, would have been unfairly sidelined in favor of Lookman.
The support of the Moroccan public therefore does not weaken. In a context where controversies over CAF decisions are increasing, Morocco is calling for reforms to guarantee fairer and more transparent choices in the future.
Related News :