Achraf Hakimi, the star full-back of Paris Saint-Germain and pillar of the Moroccan national team, was recently named among the five finalists for the prestigious title of African Player of the Year 2024. Although he was widely considered the big favorite to win this prize, he was finally beaten by Ademola Lookman, the Nigerian striker from Atalanta Bergamo. However, he joined the typical team of the year.
It is certainly a disappointment as the title held out its arms to him. This defeat is bitter even if we must congratulate Lookman for his Trophy. Hakimi had reason to hope and he must necessarily be very disappointed. Considered one of the best players in the world in his position, he was able to realize the difficulty of existing against offensive players.
A reality that we also find for the Ballon d’Or in general. That he is part of the typical team is completely logical and there is no point in debating it as it seems obvious. For the Best Player Trophy, on the other hand, it is more complicated to hear as Hakimi proves in each match that he is a different player.
