EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ -- There are great African footballers, there are African legends, there are players whose careers become reference points for entire generations. As we stand on the brink of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Achraf Hakimi is moving decisively into that final category.
The timing of this tournament could hardly be more significant for his career.
Fresh from another UEFA Champions League triumph with Paris Saint-Germain -- with the rightback returning from injury to excel in the final -- Hakimi is the captain of the most accomplished Morocco side ever assembled.
A case could be made that they're the strongest African team ever to enter a World Cup.

