World Cup 2026: Captain Achraf Hakimi hails Morocco’s fighting spirit after heroic comeback win over Netherlands

Morocco star Achraf Hakimi has expressed his joy after the Atlas Lions’ dramatic victory over the Netherlands, which secured their qualification to the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Speaking in a post-match interview with beIN SPORTS, Hakimi described the win as fully deserved, praising his teammates for maintaining belief and intensity until the final whistle despite falling behind during the match.

“It was a well-deserved victory,” Hakimi said. “We maintained a winning spirit until the last minute. When we were behind in the score, we showed the identity of the Moroccan national team and came back into the game, and I am very proud of my teammates.”

The Moroccan full-back highlighted his team’s attacking dominance and confidence throughout the match, insisting they always believed they could turn the game around.

“I think we created a lot of chances, and the possession was in our favour,” he added. “We were sure we would qualify for the next round because we have Yassine Bounou, and we have great confidence in this goalkeeper.”

Hakimi also paid tribute to the Moroccan supporters who travelled to Mexico to back the team, stressing how important their presence is to the squad’s motivation.

“I am proud of all the players. We represent African football,” he said. “We thank all the fans who travelled to support us. We need the fans, and we will make them proud.”

Morocco showed resilience once again as they fought back from a goal down before eventually sealing victory on penalties after a 1-1 draw in regular and extra time. The win continues their impressive World Cup campaign under coach Mohamed Ouahbi.

With the victory, the Atlas Lions will now face Canada in the Round of 16 next Saturday, as they aim to extend their historic run in the tournament and continue making African football proud on the global stage.