Regragui: Hakimi to Play Against Zambia Tomorrow; Many Underestimate His Impact

National coach Walid Regragui confirmed that Achraf Hakimi will play his first Africa Cup of Nations match tomorrow against Zambia, though he has not yet decided whether Hakimi will start.

Regragui stated during the pre-match press conference: "Can any coach do without his Ballon d'Or-winning player? I believe many do not realize the extent of the contribution Hakimi provides to our national team."

He continued: "We played two matches without our best player, without our captain and one of the team's most important pillars, yet we did not use that as an excuse when evaluating our performance. We have other players who succeeded in compensating for the absence and performed their roles perfectly, and they deserve praise."

Regragui added: "We possess the best player in Africa, and one of the best players in the world. Nevertheless, his absence was not an excuse; rather, it was part of the development plan we established from the beginning. What Achraf provided was exceptional, both in terms of leadership and in terms of sacrifices to return quickly."

He concluded: "We are handling his condition cautiously, and what is certain is that he will participate in tomorrow's match. Will he start or not? That is something we will decide, but what is certain is that it will be his first match in the Africa Cup of Nations."