BY AMINE BIROUK
CASABLANCA, Morocco – For weeks now, Achraf Hakimi has been the name on every football pundit’s lips — and not just in Morocco.
The Paris Saint-Germain right-back has dazzled on the pitch, led by example off it, and carved out a place in the global football conversation as a potential Ballon d’Or winner.
As the prestigious France Football award approaches its 69th edition, momentum is building behind a movement many see as long overdue: crowning a second African footballer with the world’s highest individual honour, nearly 30 years after George Weah’s historic win.
At first glance, Hakimi’s nomination might seem a stretch to those who consider defenders perennial outsiders in the Ballon d’Or race.
But this season, the Atlas Lions’ captain has ripped up the rulebook — combining elite defensive solidity with attacking brilliance.
His stat line reads like that of an elite winger: 11 goals and 15 assists across all competitions, with several coming at crucial moments in the UEFA Champions League, including the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final.
In doing so, he broke the long-standing record for offensive contributions by a defender, previously held by Brazilian icon Dani Alves since 2011.
These aren’t just numbers — they are decisive moments that turned matches, shaped PSG’s destiny, and elevated Hakimi into the realm of football’s most influential players.
A Leader at Club and Country
Hakimi’s influence has not been limited to PSG, where he helped guide the Parisian club to a near-clean sweep of trophies — Ligue 1, French Cup, League Cup, and finally, the much-coveted Champions League title.
In the final against Bayern Munich, it was Hakimi’s precise assist that created the crucial second goal, underlining his value on the biggest stage.
His performances in the Club World Cup, even in defeat, further cemented his reputation as a player for the big moments. For Morocco, his leadership has remained unwavering.
Whether it’s during World Cup qualifiers or international friendlies, Hakimi is not just a captain in name but in spirit — unifying the squad, supporting younger teammates, and carrying the hopes of a football-loving nation on his back.
More Than a Footballer
In a Ballon d’Or campaign, football alone is not always enough. Character matters — and here too, Hakimi scores high.
His commitment to fair play, humility in victory, and grace under pressure have earned the respect of referees, fans, and fellow professionals alike.
His conduct stands in sharp contrast to recent controversies that have hurt other nominees’ chances in previous years.
Off the pitch, Hakimi has embraced the role of a role model — supporting youth initiatives in Morocco, advocating for education and opportunity, and remaining deeply connected to his roots.
In a sport where commercial interests often overshadow community ties, Hakimi’s grounded approach offers a refreshing narrative of pride, leadership, and service.
A Call to Action
Still, even with such a compelling résumé, Hakimi’s path to the Ballon d’Or podium will not be easy.
The politics of the vote — conducted by journalists across the world — can often favour attackers and those from traditional footballing powerhouses.
That’s why African media, in particular, must rally behind his candidacy.
The call is clear: this is not just about an individual award. It is about correcting a historical imbalance that has seen African brilliance overlooked time and again.
Players like Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto’o, and Mohamed Salah came close. Hakimi, with his performance and profile this season, may have gone even further.
In Morocco, the campaign is already underway. In France and beyond, respected analysts are no longer dismissing the idea as a fantasy.
As September 22 approaches — the date of the Ballon d’Or announcement — Hakimi stands at the centre of a growing, hopeful movement.
Whether or not he lifts the golden ball, Achraf Hakimi has redefined the fullback role and reminded the world what African footballers can achieve when talent meets discipline, ambition, and character.
But maybe, just maybe, the stars will align — and the man from Casablanca will follow in George Weah’s footsteps, not as a political leader, but as the football king Africa has waited for.
Amine Birouk is the Editor-in-Chief of Radio Mars
PAST CAF AWARD WINNERS
Men’s Player of the Year
1992 Abedi Pele (Ghana)
1993 Rashidi Yekini (Nigeria)
1994 Emmanuel Amunike (Nigeria)
1995 George Weah (Liberia)
1996 Nwankwo Kanu (Nigeria)
1997 Victor Ikpeba (Nigeria)
1998 Mustapha Hadji (Morocco)
1999 Nwankwo Kanu (Nigeria)
2000 Patrick Mboma (Cameroon)
2001 El Hadji Diouf (Senegal)
2002 El Hadji Diouf (Senegal)
2003 Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon)
2004 Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon)
2005 Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon)
2006 Didier Drogba (Cote d’Ivoire)
2007 Frédéric Kanouté (Mali)
2008 Emmanuel Adebayor (Togo)
2009 Didier Drogba (Cote d’Ivoire)
2010 Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon)
2011 Yaya Touré (Côte d’Ivoire)
2012 Yaya Touré (Côte d’Ivoire)
2013 Yaya Touré (Côte d’Ivoire)
2014 Yaya Touré (Côte d’Ivoire)
2015 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon)
2016 Riyad Mahrez (Algeria)
2017 Mohamed Salah (Egypt)
2018 Mohamed Salah (Egypt)
2019 Sadio Mané (Senegal)
2020 Awards not held due to COVID-19
2021 Awards not held due to COVID-19
2022 Sadio Mané (Senegal)
2023 Victor Osimhen (Nigeria)
2024 Ademola Lookman (Nigeria)
2025 ???????
BALLON D’OR
Behold the All-time winners of Ballon d’Or in 68 years
List of Ballon d’Or winners since the award’s inception in 1956 after Rodri was named 2024 winner.
1956 – Stanley Matthews (England)
1957 – Alfredo Di Stefano (Spain)
1958 – Raymond Kopa (France)
1959 – Alfredo Di Stefano (Spain)
1960 – Luis Suarez (Spain)
1961 – Omar Sivori (Italy)
1962 – Josef Masopust (Czechoslovakia)
1963 – Lev Yashin (Soviet Union)
1964 – Denis Law (Scotland)
1965 – Eusebio (Portugal)
1966 – Bobby Charlton (England)
1967 – Florian Albert (Hungary)
1968 – George Best (Northern Ireland)
1969 – Gianni Rivera (Italy)
1970 – Gerd Mueller (West Germany)
1971 – Johan Cruyff (Netherlands)
1972 – Johan Cruyff (Netherlands)
1973 – Johan Cruyff (Netherlands)
1974 – Johan Cruyff (Netherlands)
1975 – Oleg Blokhin (Soviet Union)
1976 – Franz Beckenbauer (West Germany)
1977 – Allan Simonsen (Denmark)
1978 – Kevin Keegan (England)
1979 – Kevin Keegan (England)
1980 – Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (West Germany)
1981 – Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (West Germany)
1982 – Paolo Rossi (Italy)
1983 – Michel Platini (France)
1984 – Michel Platini (France)
1985 – Michel Platini (France)
1986 – Igor Belanov (Soviet Union)
1987 – Ruud Gullit (Netherlands)
1988 – Marco van Basten (Netherlands)
1989 – Marco van Basten (Netherlands)
1990 – Lothar Matthaus (Germany)
1991 – Jean-Pierre Papin (France)
1992 – Marco van Basten (Netherlands)
1993 – Roberto Baggio (Italy)
1994 – Hristo Stoichkov (Bulgaria)
1995 – George Weah (Liberia)
1996 – Matthias Sammer (Germany)
1997 – Ronaldo (Brazil)
1998 – Zinedine Zidane (France)
1999 – Rivaldo (Brazil)
2000 – Luis Figo (Portugal)
2001 – Michael Owen (England)
2002 – Ronaldo (Brazil)
2003 – Pavel Nedved (Czech Republic)
2004 – Andriy Shevchenko (Ukraine)
2005 – Ronaldinho (Brazil)
2006 – Fabio Cannavaro (Italy)
2007 – Kaka (Brazil)
2008 – Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
2009 – Lionel Messi (Argentina)
2010 – Lionel Messi (Argentina) *
2011 – Lionel Messi (Argentina) *
2012 – Lionel Messi (Argentina) *
2013 – Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) *
2014 – Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) *
2015 – Lionel Messi (Argentina) *
2016 – Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
2017 – Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
2018 – Luka Modric (Croatia)
2019 – Lionel Messi (Argentina)
2020 – Award Cancelled (COVID-19 pandemic)
2021 – Lionel Messi (Argentina)
2022 – Karim Benzema (France)
2023 – Lionel Messi (Argentina)
2024 – Rodri (Spain)
* From 2010-2015 the Ballon d’Or was merged with the FIFA World Player of the Year to create the FIFA Ballon d’Or award.
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