Achraf Hakimi could have treated himself to a little pleasure on Friday by scoring the net from a penalty with the Moroccan team against Ecuador (1-1), Friday evening at the Estadio Metropolitano. The captain was back in Madrid, his birthplace (he trained at Real Madrid), for his 93rd international cap.
After John Yeboah opened the scoring for Willian Pacho’s Tricolor (48th), Hakimi left the 62nd minute penalty to Neil El Aynaoui, who fell on the opposing goalkeeper, Hernan Galindez. El Aynaoui finally equalized with a header from a corner from the right side of PSG (88th). The two players were also injured during their celebration by colliding jaw to jaw.
Hakimi, heading for Naybet
Hakimi took the opportunity to become the second most capped player in the history of the Moroccan selection by joining Ahmed Faras, 1975 Ballon d’Or and star striker of the 1976 African champions. At 27, the winner of the 2025 Champions League has plenty of time to overtake record holder Noureddine Naybet, who played 115 matches from 1990 to 2006. Two current teammates complete the top 5: Youssef En-Nesyri with 92 caps (for 25) and Yassine Bounou with 87 caps.
Note that, two and a half months before the 2026 World Cup in North America, new coach Mohamed Ouahbi tried a brand new central hinge composed of newcomer Issa Diop and Chadi Riad. The four central defenders from the last CAN were absent: Nayef Aguerd was operated on for pubalgia, Romain Saïss retired internationally, Adam Masina, without a club, and Jawad El Yamiq were not called up. The current reigning African champions (after the 3-0 defeat on the green carpet inflicted on Senegal by the CAF appeal jury) will face Brazil, Scotland and Haiti in their North American World Cup group.
