CAN Morocco 2025: Achraf Hakimi sets out his ambition
After the Ballon d'Or and the Champions League, Achraf Hakimi didn't miss the chance to talk about Morocco and the upcoming AFCON in his interview with Canal +.
During his interview with Canal+, Achraf Hakimi also spoke about his relationship with Morocco. The player notably highlighted his love for his country.
"Morocco called me when I was at the Real Madrid academy, it's the country of my parents. I try to attend every call-up, to always be ready, whenever the national team needs me. Right now, I think I'm the third or fourth most-capped player. Entering the history books as one of the players with the most appearances for Morocco means a lot to me, but there are still many matches ahead, and we're going to stay ready for all of them. It's a dream moment. It's the first time Morocco will host AFCON. It's going to be incredible. My goal is also to achieve great things with Morocco. We have the goal of winning this AFCON. It's a pressure we'll have to handle well, but we need to take responsibility for it." the European champion revealed.
Another topic: his foundation. "It's something we started three or four years ago. It was a goal I had in mind. I wanted to give young people in Morocco the chance for a better life. I know where I come from. I'll never forget my roots. It's still tough to make it today. I know that conditions in Morocco aren't the best, especially for the youth. We're trying to make it easier for young people to achieve their dreams through education and sport. We're working to build a lot, to give them the best possible conditions so they can fulfill their dreams." Hakimi said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
11 minutes ago
- Yahoo
CHAN 2024: CAF sanctions Zambia, Kenya and Morocco for disciplinary breaches
Three federations singled out for infractions during the ongoing continental tournament. CHAN 2024: CAF sanctions Zambia, Kenya and Morocco for disciplinary breaches The Confederation of African Football has fined Zambia, Kenya and Morocco on August 13, 2025, for violations recorded during the TotalEnergies CHAN 2024. The incidents took place during the group stage in Lusaka and Kasarani. Zambia: Head coach absent from press conference The Zambian Football Federation was penalized for failing to comply with media protocol. Ahead of the match against DR Congo, the head coach did not attend the mandatory press conference. This breach resulted in a fine of $5,000, payable within 60 days. Kenya: Security lapses at Moi International Sports Centre The Kenyan federation was found guilty of several security shortcomings during the match against Morocco. The disciplinary panel noted a lack of personnel inside the stadium, as well as the failure to enforce road closures on match days. A fine of $50,000 was imposed, along with a warning: any repeat offense could see matches relocated. Morocco: Inappropriate player conduct The Royal Moroccan Football Federation was sanctioned for the behavior of certain players during the same match against Kenya. The panel handed down a fine of $5,000, half of which is suspended. This suspension remains in force until the end of CHAN 2024, provided no further violations occur. All three federations must settle the imposed amounts within the regulatory deadlines. These decisions underscore CAF's determination to uphold disciplinary standards and ensure compliance with regulations during its major competitions.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Barcelona strips Ter Stegen of captaincy for refusing to sign medical report
MADRID (AP) — Barcelona has temporarily stripped goalkeeper Marc-André Ter Stegen of the captaincy over his refusal to sign a medical report about his back injury. The club said Thursday that central defender Ronald Araujo will act as first-team captain until further notice. 'Following the disciplinary proceedings opened against player Marc-André ter Stegen, and until this matter is definitively resolved, the club, by mutual agreement with the sporting direction and the coaching staff, has decided to temporarily withdraw his role as first-team captain,' Barcelona said in a statement. The club had opened a disciplinary proceeding against the goalkeeper on Tuesday after discrepancies about the recovery time for the lower back surgery that Ter Stegen successfully underwent last week. Barcelona needed him to sign the injury report so it could be sent to the Spanish league in order to clear some salary-cap space and allow the club to more easily register other players without breaching financial fair play rules. Ter Stegen said ahead of the surgery that the recovery time would be about three months. The club did not give an official timetable for the recovery process, saying only that the operation was 'successful" and that 'his recovery will determine when he can return.' Depending on the length of the recovery process, Barcelona could clear a percentage of Ter Stegen's salary from its cap, making more room to add other players to the squad. The league has to evaluate the report before approving the official time of recovery. The club signed Espanyol goalkeeper Joan García in June. Its other goalkeepers are veteran Wojciech Szczęsny and Iñaki Peña. Ter Stegen met briefly with Barcelona officials this week, according to Spanish media. The 33-year-old German goalkeeper missed nearly all of last season because of a ruptured tendon in his knee, and in 2023 he missed about two months because of another back operation. Peña and the 35-year-old Szczęsny started in place of Ter Stegen last season. Barcelona, the defending Spanish league champion, arrived back in Spain on Tuesday after completing a preseason tour in Asia. ___ AP soccer: Tales Azzoni, The Associated Press
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Spanish coach Riveiro lays down the law for Ahly stars
Spanish coach Jose Riveiro has laid down the law to the stars of African giants Al Ahly of Egypt as they prepare for another CAF Champions League campaign. Cairo-based Ahly have won the elite African club competition a record 12 times -- seven times more than closest rivals Zamalek of Egypt and TP Mazembe from the Democratic Republic of Congo. But last season they fell in the semi-finals to Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa, losing the tie on away goals after Yasser Ibrahim conceded an own goal in the final minute of regular time. Defeat was particularly painful for the Cairo Red Devils as it was the fourth time they had won back-to-back titles only to fail to create history by lifting the trophy three consecutive times. After three seasons and five trophies with Orlando Pirates in South Africa, Riveiro moved to Ahly last May and has yet to celebrate a victory. Ahly drew with Inter Miami and Porto, who they led four times, at the Club World Cup in the United States and lost to Brazilian outfit Palmeiras. If the 49-year-old Spaniard believed the Egypt Premier League kick-off last weekend would bring a chance of fortunes, he was mistaken. Away to Modern Future, who finished 14th last season, Ahly had to come from behind to secure a 2-2 draw thanks to a Yassin Marei goal. "There is no place for names, and no room for favouritism," said a visibly angry Riveiro after that match. "Whoever proves himself in training and in matches will get chances -- whoever disobeys instructions will have no role in the team." - No future - Queried by reporters about his line-up, Riveiro said: "I am the coach and I decide who participates and who does not". Riveiro stressed to his squad the need for full commitment to his tactics, warning those who failed to follow them would have no future at Ahly. He echoed the comments of the last two Ahly coaches, South African Pitso Mosimane and Swiss Marcel Koller, that Ahly want to win every competition they are involved in. But Riveiro knows winning the Champions League is of paramount importance for several reasons, including qualification for the 2029 Club World Cup. They have a first round bye in qualifying and will tackle the winners between Aigle Noir of Burundi and ASAS of Djibouti for a place in the group phase. The Club World Cup this year gave Ahly and the other three African representatives, Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa, Esperance of Tunisia and Wydad Casblanca of Morocco, unrivalled riches. Each club received $9.5 million for qualifying plus an additional $2 million for a win and $1 million for a draw. Sundowns did best, taking home $12.5 million. Wydad will not be involved in the coming Champions League as they finished third in the Moroccan league, leaving champions Renaissance Berkane and runners-up FAR Rabat to represent the kingdom. FAR and the other seven quarter-finalists last season, including eventual champions Pyramids of Egypt will be back, and the field includes 10 former champions and six winners of other CAF competitions. Pyramids will face Rwandan army outfit APR for the third straight season in qualifying and will be expected to complete a hat-trick of aggregate victories. Should the defending champions advance, they will face Insurance of Ethiopia or Mlandege of Zanzibar for a group place. str-dl/ea
