SME-About Almountakhab Moroccan newspaper-Written by: Badr Al-Din Al-Idrisi
What we saw from the captain of the national team and the Golden Lion, Achraf Hakimi, during the French Cup final, which ended with Paris scoring three goals against Reims, and which was concluded by Achraf’s foot, is nothing short of a creative act that is repeated to the delight of the eye, in an era known as the Hakimi revolution in the system of play on the right wing. This is because the man gives us with each match a glimpse of that endless beauty, a burst of magic that follows what preceded it, to form before us this unique football performance. I was keen to read what the French newspaper L’Equipe wrote in its commentary on the French Cup final, which reiterated Paris Saint-Germain’s declaration that they are kings of France, and tomorrow we will all hope that they will be declared kings of Europe if they succeed in overcoming Inter Milan in the final of the most prestigious cup. Amid the amazement at the way the Parisian team made the cup go in one direction, there was great praise for Achraf Hakimi, who was given a high rating not only for scoring Paris’ third goal, his eighth this season in all competitions, but also for creating five great scoring opportunities alone, some of which put two teammates in clear one-on-one situations. L’Equipe was cautious, to the point of stinginess, in giving Hakimi his due rating. Indeed, in its analysis of the Golden Lions’ performance, it remained far removed from the perspective and judgment from which coach Luis Enrique views his flying full-back, who has become a reference in defining the modern defensive full-back. Of course, anyone who loves fluid football will admire Hakimi, and any coach who aspires to fluid football characterized by a quick transition from defensive to offensive play will need full-backs similar to Hakimi. But where would football find a player who combines all the qualities Achraf possesses? He’s the full-back who revolutionized the stereotypical role of the defensive winger, and he’s the player who combines what others lack.
It’s no surprise that Luis Enrique was the one who freed Hakimi from his exaggerated defensive constraints. The man sees what others don’t, and he excelled at penetrating Hakimi’s personality. I was greatly impressed by his physiological and then mental abilities, which, coupled with his great tactical intelligence, gave me the form that distinguishes Hakimi from others, the form that has become the face of the modern full-back. Many of us wish that Hakimi would be employed by Walid Regragui within the national team, in the same way that he was employed by Luis Enrique at his club Paris Saint-Germain, until he became the face of the innovative playing system within the Parisian team after the departure of the emperors. The truth is that Hakimi can no longer breathe anything but tactical air similar to the one he breathes in Paris. The man with his record speed that makes him the fastest right-back in world football, and with his offensive generosity that provides multiple solutions for his teammates and his great charisma, it is not appropriate for him to be imprisoned in a small box that restricts him to defensive roles and paralyzes his offensive senses. Hakimi Paris, who is an exact copy of the innovator of his time, is what the national team needs to gain a new helicopter that flies with terror over the heads of its competitors.
