Moroccan Media Outraged as Hakimi Misses African Player Award
Moroccan journalists protested the decision to award Ademola Lookman the African Player of the Year title over Achraf Hakimi, leaving the ceremony in anger.
Achraf Hakimi, the star right-back of Paris Saint-Germain and Morocco, missed out on the 2023 African Player of the Year award, causing frustration and outrage among Moroccan journalists and fans.
The award, hosted by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), saw Ademola Lookman, the Nigerian winger from Atalanta, claim the title after an outstanding season, which included a successful Europa League campaign and impressive performances for the Nigerian national team.
Moroccan supporters had high hopes for Hakimi to end a 26-year drought since Mustapha Hadji last won the award in 1998. Hakimi, who attended the event with his family, was visibly disappointed as Lookman’s name was announced as the winner. The decision triggered an immediate response, with Moroccan journalists walking out of the ceremony in protest.
Hakimi has been a key player for both PSG and the Moroccan national team, helping Morocco reach the 2022 World Cup semifinals and achieving notable success in European competitions. However, Lookman’s stellar season and team achievements swayed the final vote.
Interestingly, Mohamed Salah remains the last Arab player to have won the title in consecutive years, 2017 and 2018. The Moroccan media expressed their dissatisfaction over Hakimi's exclusion, arguing that his contributions over the year deserved greater recognition.