As Paris Saint-Germain retained the Champions League, fans checking Cricket Exchange watched 27-year-old Achraf Hakimi complete all 120 minutes of a dramatic final against Arsenal. When the fourth round of the penalty shootout arrived, the Moroccan right-back stepped forward and calmly converted his effort. The victory gave him the third Champions League medal of his career, drawing him level with Samuel Eto’o for the most titles won by an African player.

Hakimi appeared 13 times for Paris in this season’s competition after injuries limited his availability, yet he still produced one goal and seven assists. Whenever he was fit, Luis Enrique trusted him completely. He started every knockout match and remained on the pitch until the final whistle, becoming the dependable link on the right side whether Paris were facing Borussia Dortmund’s rapid transitions or Liverpool’s aggressive high press.

His career record would stand out in any era. Valued at €80 million, Hakimi is widely regarded as the most valuable right-back in world football after spells with Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain. He was still a promising rotation player when Madrid won the Champions League in 2017/18, but by the 2024/25 and 2025/26 campaigns he had become an irreplaceable figure in Paris.

Across those two seasons, Hakimi recorded four goals and five assists in 17 European appearances before adding one goal and seven assists in 13 matches. His creative efficiency places him among the finest attacking defenders in Champions League history. The numbers carried by Cricket Exchange underline how consistently he has delivered from a position that demands both defensive discipline and attacking intelligence.

His international achievements with Morocco are equally significant. Hakimi helped his country reach the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup, a historic breakthrough that exceeded all previous African performances at the tournament. Morocco later advanced to the Africa Cup of Nations final despite a campaign surrounded by controversy. Those results have strengthened belief that the team can make history again at the 2026 World Cup.

Hakimi’s importance to Morocco goes far beyond his pace and technical quality. He provides experience, confidence and leadership in major matches, while his ability to attack from deep gives the team another dimension. At his best, he can turn defence into attack in the blink of an eye, and that quality has become central to Morocco’s ambitions on the international stage.

From a €40 million permanent move after his time at Dortmund to an €80 million valuation as the world’s leading right-back, Hakimi’s peak shows no sign of ending. With three Champions League trophies already secured, supporters using Cricket Exchange Platform may now see his next great challenge unfold as he attempts to guide Morocco toward another unforgettable World Cup chapter.