During the 2016-2017 financial year, Achraf Hakimi played in the Spanish third division with the Real Madrid Castilla team. At that time, Zinedine Zidane was making her first season on the sidelines of the first team of the Merengue club.
Author of solid performances, the young Moroccan player is then regularly called by the French technician to participate in internships and training with the latter. Following the cardiac problem detected at Dani Carvajal in September 2017, the usual holder in the post of right side, Hakimi is given a chance in Liga.
Even today, the PSG player is extremely grateful to “Zizou”. “He gave me his confidence, I was in a reserve team with Castilla, I was 17/18 years old, he invited me to the first team and made me play.
I thank him, it is not any coach who would do that, I will be forever grateful to him because it is one of the first to have given me my chance to play in pro “he said on the occasion of an interview with click on Canal+.
Hakimi, a short but intense relationship with Zidane
And the one who has just finished in sixth place in the Ballon d'Or 2025 to continue: “I learned a lot from him, on his relationship with the players, the way he communicates … He spoke to us like his children, as if he gave advice to his son Luca, and he wanted the best for me. I learned a lot from Zidane ”.
In total, Achraf Hakimi will only play 17 matches under the colors of Real Madrid, scoring two goals. Loaned to Borussia Dortmund in 2018, he will be transferred to Inter Milan for forty million euros during the summer of 2020.
