Herve Renard credits Moroccan FA’s robust scouting system for Achraf Hakimi’s discovery

Former Hervé Renard, the ex-coach of the Morocco national football team and current manager of Saudi Arabia national football team, has revisited the early days of Moroccan international Achraf Hakimi’s journey with the Atlas Lions, shedding light on the process that led to his national team breakthrough.

Speaking to Colinterview, Renard stressed that Hakimi’s rise was not the result of a single individual’s initiative, but rather the product of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation’s (FRMF) comprehensive scouting network. “The credit goes entirely to the Federation’s agencies,” Renard said, explaining that they meticulously tracked dual-nationality players across Europe.

Hakimi, born in Spain to Moroccan parents, was closely monitored by scouts in Spain, who relayed detailed reports to the national technical staff under Nasser Larguet. Renard highlighted that these reports followed Hakimi’s development at Real Madrid’s reserve team under Zinedine Zidane, where he gradually progressed alongside first-team players like Dani Carvajal.

Renard recounted inviting Hakimi to multiple training camps, noting that the young player initially needed time to adapt and demonstrate his full potential. The turning point came when Renard sought a solution for the left-back position. Although Hakimi had always considered himself a striker, the coach asked him to play on the left flank and deliver crosses. “I was surprised by his technical ability and his capacity to play equally well with both feet,” Renard said. That session led to Hakimi’s first official start for Morocco.

Hakimi made his debut against Mali national football team in Rabat, scoring in the match. Renard described the evening as “a special night,” and confirmed that Hakimi continued to occupy the left-back role in subsequent games, partly due to the presence of Nabil Dirar on the right flank.

Renard emphasized that it exemplifies the FRMF’s success in identifying talent abroad. “It shows that organized institutional work, not luck or chance, can bring players of such caliber into the national team,” he said, highlighting Hakimi’s evolution into one of Morocco’s brightest footballing stars.

The French coach concluded that Hakimi’s journey is a testament to the importance of structured scouting and long-term planning in national team success.