Achraf Hakimi facing possible Ballon d’Or 2026 ranking fall after historic sixth place

Achraf Hakimi is expected to discover a significantly lower position in the Ballon d’Or 2026 standings when the results are announced in London on Monday.

The Paris Saint-Germain defender finished sixth in 2025, becoming the highest-ranked Moroccan player in the award’s history. However, published predictions suggest he could drop well outside the top 10 in his second appearance among the 30 nominees.

Hakimi’s rise to the Ballon d’Or shortlist came after a career that has taken him from Real Madrid to Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain. Despite winning the German title with Dortmund and the Italian championship with Inter, he had never previously been included among the award’s leading candidates.

Morocco’s historic run to the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup also failed to earn him a place in the following year’s ranking. Instead, goalkeeper Yassine Bounou was the Atlas Lions’ leading representative in 2023, finishing 13th.

Hakimi made an immediate impact when he was finally nominated. His sixth-place finish in 2025 surpassed Bounou’s record and established a new benchmark for Moroccan footballers. Even so, his position was viewed with some disappointment in Morocco after an outstanding campaign with Paris Saint-Germain, including a goal in the Champions League final victory over Inter.

Hakimi believed his performances had warranted a place on the podium, or possibly an even higher finish.

The 2025 ranking remains Hakimi’s personal best. His case for the 2026 award is again supported by strong figures: 49 matches, four goals and 17 assists. He has also won another Champions League, Ligue 1, the UEFA Super Cup and a Africa Cup of Nations whose definitive attribution remains subject to a decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The official Ballon d’Or website has highlighted that this is only Hakimi’s second nomination.

Predictions point to decline

Several projections released before the ceremony indicate that Hakimi may suffer a substantial drop. The Guardian has placed him 21st in its predicted ranking, while the Mirror lists him 22nd. A separate forecast by Sports Mole puts him 16th.

Those estimates are not leaks and do not represent the official vote. The final position will only be confirmed when the ranking is announced during Monday’s ceremony.

A marked decline would attract considerable attention in Morocco. Hakimi remains an important player for Paris Saint-Germain and has once again won European football’s most prestigious club competition. However, his individual season was less spectacular than the previous one, while the World Cup carried significant weight in the debate surrounding the award.

His position also remains a disadvantage compared with forwards, whose goals and attacking statistics tend to attract more votes.

A top-10 finish would confirm Hakimi’s status at the highest level and keep him close to his 2025 peak. A position around 20th, by contrast, would be regarded as a severe fall.

Whatever the outcome in London, Hakimi is guaranteed to improve one statistic: after never receiving a nomination during the early part of his career, he will appear among the world’s 30 leading players for a second consecutive year.