Andy Robertson hails Achraf Hakimi as World’s best Right-Back ahead of Morocco clash

Andy Robertson has described Achraf Hakimi as the best right-back in world football ahead of Scotland’s crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup group-stage meeting with Morocco at Gillette Stadium.

The Scotland captain acknowledged the scale of the challenge awaiting his side and warned that every Moroccan player poses a threat.

Robertson Expects Another Huge Test Against Morocco

Speaking during the pre-match press conference ahead of Friday evening’s clash, Robertson compared Morocco’s quality to that of Brazil and admitted Scotland will need to produce one of their best performances to get a positive result.

“Morocco will be just as tough as Brazil. We know their strengths very well, and we will need to give our best to achieve the desired result,” Robertson said in comments reported by The Herald.

Scotland Dreaming of Historic Qualification

The former Liverpool defender also addressed Scotland’s ambition of reaching the next round of the tournament, admitting qualification remains a major motivation within the squad.

“We are trying not to think about it too much, because we have very difficult tasks ahead of us. But I don’t think any of the players or the coaching staff have avoided this topic,” he said.

“We want to be the first team to achieve this for our country, and that’s a beautiful feeling.”

Robertson stressed that Scotland believe they can compete with any side if they perform at their highest level.

“We know how difficult it is. We are now facing one of the best teams in the world (Morocco), but we believe that we can make any match difficult. If we can do that, and perform at our best, I think we can get what we want.”

Robertson Full of Praise for Hakimi

Much of Robertson’s praise was reserved for Hakimi, whom he described as one of the most complete full-backs in modern football.

“I can’t praise him enough. I have a huge admiration for him and everything he’s doing right now,” Robertson said.

“What a fantastic player, I think he’s the best right-back in the world, him and Nuno Mendes on the other side at Paris Saint-Germain.”

The Scottish captain also reflected on facing Paris Saint-Germain during Liverpool’s recent UEFA Champions League meetings against the French side.

“We played against them twice in the last two years in the Champions League, and both matches were phenomenal, a joy to watch,” he added.

“Everyone enjoys watching Hakimi, the freedom he plays with, the way he appears in your area one moment, then returns the next moment to defend in his own area. So I have great admiration for everything he does.”

Scotland Hope to Contain Morocco’s Threat

Despite his admiration for Hakimi, Robertson joked that he hopes the Morocco star delivers “one of his quiet games” against Scotland.

The clash is expected to play a major role in shaping the group standings as both teams continue their push for qualification to the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.