"Third Time's the Charm": French Media Reacts to Hakimi's African Ballon d'Or Win

Moroccan star Achraf Hakimi's triumph in winning the 2025 African Ballon d'Or award resonated widely across French media outlets, which hailed it as a "deserved recognition" for the exceptional season the Paris Saint-Germain full-back delivered, both in terms of individual statistics and his impact within the team.

RMC Sport described Hakimi's victory as the culmination of an "XXL season," where he played a crucial role in Paris Saint-Germain's historic campaign. The French radio station noted that the Moroccan international was a fundamental pillar in the club's journey to the Champions League title, having scored in the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final, confirming his status as "the primary reference at the full-back position in Europe." RMC also highlighted his impressive statistics: 11 goals and 16 assists in 55 matches, considering Hakimi a "highly complete" player who greatly benefited from working with coach Luis Enrique, continuously developing his defensive and offensive performance remarkably.

L'Équipe newspaper covered the event by pointing out that Hakimi not only won the African Ballon d'Or but also achieved an exceptional season in terms of titles, securing the Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup, the French Cup, and the French League. The newspaper affirmed that Hakimi surpassed Egypt's Mohamed Salah and Nigeria's Victor Osimhen in the race for the award, considering this triumph a significant morale boost ahead of the anticipated 2026 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, which will be another opportunity for him to assert his continental dominance.

Le Parisien observed the event from a symbolic angle, noting that Hakimi succeeded in winning the award on his third attempt, and "on his home turf" in Morocco, where the award ceremony was held in the capital, Rabat. The newspaper described the triumph as a historic moment for the right-back, who overcame fierce competition in previous years to reach this stature. It emphasized that the award crowns an exceptional journey with both his club and national team, after he finished second in the two preceding years.