Bencharki chooses Hakimi ahead of Hadji, Naybet and Ziyech as Morocco’s greatest

Morocco international Achraf Bencharki has named Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi as the greatest player in the history of Moroccan football.

Bencharki made his choice during an appearance with Egyptian content creator Ahmed Gharib, who presented him with a series of prominent Moroccan players from different generations and asked him to stop when he heard the name of the player he considered the country’s best.

The list featured former Atlas Lions stars including Abdeljalil Hadda, Noureddine Naybet, Mustapha Hadji, Salaheddine Bassir, Mbark Boussoufa and Hakim Ziyech.

When Hakimi’s name was mentioned, Bencharki stopped the sequence and selected the PSG full-back.

“Achraf Hakimi,” Bencharki replied when asked to identify Morocco’s greatest-ever footballer.

Hakimi among 2026 Ballon d’Or nominees

Bencharki’s selection is his personal assessment rather than an official ranking and comes during another high-profile year for Hakimi.

The Morocco captain is among the 30 nominees for the 2026 men’s Ballon d’Or, alongside players including Ousmane Dembélé, Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappé.

Hakimi has established himself as one of Morocco’s most prominent players internationally after spells with Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain.

The defender has also been a key figure in Morocco’s recent international success, including the Atlas Lions’ historic run to the semi-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Bencharki adds to Morocco’s greatest-player debate

Bencharki’s choice adds to an ongoing debate over Morocco’s greatest footballer, with different generations represented by players such as Hadji, Naybet, Ziyech and Bassir.

Hakimi’s achievements with both club and country have placed him among the most prominent Moroccan footballers of the current generation.