Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi has backed Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi after the national-team captain was booed during the 1-0 World Cup win over Scotland in Foxborough.
Hakimi was jeered when Morocco’s line-up was announced and again whenever he touched the ball, according to a Bernama report carried by the New Straits Times. The reaction came on the same day a French court decision over the PSG right-back’s legal case was reported.
Ouahbi refused to make the episode a dressing-room issue after Morocco’s Group C victory. The coach said the squad had not discussed it and stressed that they were behind Hakimi, adding that he hoped the full-back would show at the tournament that he is the best right-back in the world.
Hakimi stays central to Morocco’s World Cup push
For PSG, the immediate significance is that Hakimi remains on the pitch and in a leadership role for Morocco at a pressure-heavy World Cup. The 27-year-old captained the side against Scotland and helped them secure a result that keeps their knockout hopes firmly alive.
Hakimi has denied the allegations against him and said publicly after the court decision that he would be able to speak at trial. Morocco’s handling of the moment suggests Ouahbi wants the football focus to stay on Hakimi’s influence, not the reaction around him.
The next test is whether Hakimi can keep that authority intact as Morocco move deeper into Group C. For PSG supporters, his minutes, mentality and role as captain will all be worth tracking closely.
