Achraf Hakimi has backed Morocco to come out victorious in their group C opener against Brazil at the 2026 FIFA World Cup tournament.
The African champions, awarded by the CAF appeal board despite losing 1-0 to Senegal in the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations tournament, open their campaign with a clash against the five-time world champions.
Speaking ahead of the clash, the Paris Saint-Germain right-back hailed the quality of Brazil amd Vinicius Junior and expects a tough task from them.
“I think everyone knows the Brazilian national team. We know the quality of Vinicius, and I have faced him before. He is a very good player,” Hakimi said.
“To defend against Vinicius and the rest of Brazil’s top-level players, we need to defend as a team. We have worked on that and we are ready. Personally, I feel ready and confident to play a great match and deliver a good performance.
“We know the opponent we are facing tomorrow, we know their quality and the players they have. But we also have quality. People call us the ‘Brazil of Africa’ and we have players with great abilities.”
Morocco will be without Abde Ezzalzouli and Nayef Aguerd, who were both replaced from the final list despite initially making the cut due to injury.
“We will do our best on the pitch for Ezzalzouli and Aguerd, who unfortunately missed the opportunity to be here with us at the World Cup”, Hakimi added.
“I have no doubt about the support of the Moroccan fans. They have sacrificed a lot for the national team and I am sure they will be there tomorrow to support us in the stadium.
“We feel the power of their support. It gives us extra motivation on the pitch to give everything we have. We are proud of you, just as you are proud of us.”
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
