Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahbi has publicly backed Achraf Hakimi following the court verdict involving the defender, insisting the Atlas Lions star remains fully focused on the FIFA World Cup and describing him as “the best right-back in the world.”
Hakimi was one of Morocco’s standout performers as they secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Scotland to strengthen their hopes of reaching the knockout stages.
However, much of the post-match discussion centred on events away from the pitch after the Paris Saint-Germain defender was asked to respond to the impact of the court decision and the reaction it could generate during the tournament.
Ouahbi made it clear that neither he nor his players have any concerns about Hakimi’s mindset.
“We are behind him,” the Morocco coach said during his post-match press conference.
“He played a very big match.”
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Asked whether he had needed to speak with Hakimi about handling the situation or potential crowd reactions, Ouahbi insisted the defender had shown complete focus throughout the day.
“He was good. He woke up in the morning, he ate like everyone else, he prepared himself, he motivated everyone, he was in the locker room, he was focused,” Ouahbi said.
“He wanted to play a big match. He played a big match.”
The coach repeatedly stressed that there had been no need for special intervention from the management team, pointing instead to Hakimi’s professionalism and leadership within the squad.
“Honestly, we didn’t have to say anything,” he added.
“We are just behind him. We are very calm. He is very calm.”
Morocco coach defends Hakimi after court ruling and hails him as world’s best right-back
Ouahbi reserved his strongest praise for Hakimi when discussing his footballing qualities, delivering a ringing endorsement of one of Morocco’s most influential players.
“He is the best right-back in the world,” the coach declared.
“He will show it in this World Cup.”
The statement underlines the importance of Hakimi to Morocco’s ambitions in the tournament, with the 27-year-old continuing to serve as one of the team’s most experienced and recognizable figures on the international stage.
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Beyond his performances on the pitch, Ouahbi highlighted Hakimi’s importance within the dressing room and across the country.
“He is also a very, very important person for me, for the staff, for the players and for the 44 million Moroccans,” he said.
With four points from their opening two matches, Morocco are now well placed heading into their final group-stage encounter against Haiti.
