‘If people think I’m a candidate for the Ballon d’Or, I’m very happy’ – PSG star Achraf Hakimi throws hat in the ring after stellar season
By Tom Masters
Published 24/06/2025 at 15:31 GMT+1
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PSG right-back Achraf Hakimi has thrown his hat in the ring for the Ballon d'Or after he scored his 10th goal of the season to see the Parisians advance to the last 16 of the Club World Cup with a routine 2-0 win over Seattle Sounders. The victory saw them finish top of Group B, meaning they will now face another MLS side, Inter Miami, setting up a fascinating meeting with Lionel Messi.
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With the Ballon d’Or celebrations shifting to September in 2025, the FIFA Club World Cup offers the final opportunity to really influence proceedings.
Paris Saint-Germain stars are naturally on top when it comes to the current pecking order after they finally won the UEFA Champions League last month, and they are one of the front-runners to take the Club World Cup trophy home too.
Since that 5-0 demolition of Internazionale in Munich, two of their key players, Vitinha and Nuno Mendes, have boosted their chances of being crowned the world’s best player after they also secured Nations League glory with Portugal.
But there is another of PSG’s treble winning side who continues to catch the eye, after starring throughout the Champions League campaign – Achraf Hakimi.
The Moroccan full-back scored four goals and assisted five times in 17 Champions League matches, and his goal in the 2-0 win over Seattle Sounders to seal a mouth-watering tie with Inter Miami and former PSG star Lionel Messi, took his tally to 24 goal involvements in 51 games.
Those numbers can no longer go under the radar and Hakimi, who was named player of the match against Seattle, was delighted to receive the recognition for the most prestigious individual award in football.
He said: "If people think I'm a candidate for the Ballon d'Or, I'm very happy; it's a pleasure, an honour for me. I'm in great shape, I feel good. I think I had a magnificent season.
"I want to keep going, to keep giving my all for my team or for my country, Morocco, and after, it is for you [journalists] to decide who wins."
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The Parisian side came into the tournament as favourites to win and began with a thumping 4-0 win over Atletico Madrid to further boost their title credentials.
A 1-0 defeat to Copa Libertadores holders Botafogo suddenly put them under pressure to qualify for the knockout stages, though, before the routine victory over the Sounders.
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Hakimi did not downplay the importance of that win as PSG look to seal an unprecedented quadruple.
He said: "It was important to get back to winning ways in this competition, which is super important for us.
"I am very ambitious, I like winning a lot, I am a competitor, I like winning all the time, especially when I play with my friends."
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