Achraf Hakimi was hardly a novice when he arrived at Borussia Dortmund in 2018 at the start of what would become a two-year loan stay. He had come through the youth ranks at Real Madrid and had been pulled into the first team by Zinedine Zidane. In his first season, he picked up a Champions League winner’s medal.
But it was in Germany that Hakimi’s career took off. He briefly held the Bundesliga speed record after clocking in at 22.7mph in 2020 and it was his exuberance from full-back, on the left or the right, that set him apart. In Lucien Favre’s ‘modern jazz’, playing an aggressive front-foot style that had more structure than Jurgen Klopp’s high-octane heavy metal football, there was plenty of room for individual expression — and Hakimi thrived.
Back then, he was still a raw defender but one with huge potential. Today it is a different story. He returns to the Signal Iduna Park a more complete player and, in this new Luis Enrique-led era at Paris Saint-Germain, Hakimi has arguably benefitted more than anyone. He is realising that potential.
“The coach has set up a game in which I feel freer,” he said after the reverse fixture in September, which PSG won 2-0 and Hakimi scored. “I feel more confident and I hope it continues like this.”
The past 12 months have been bookended by positive on-field progress for Hakimi but that does not tell the full story. This time last year, he enjoyed the highs of the World Cup in Qatar, where he added to his hero status in Morocco, helping his country to a first semi-final, defeating Spain and Portugal in famous victories. In the aftermath, he was named in FIFA’s Team of the Year.
This ought to have been the best moment of his career but, in March, a serious allegation was made against him. He was indicted for rape in France by the Nanterre public prosecutor’s office. He has strongly contested the accusation and the investigation remains ongoing. On Friday, PSG stated that Hakimi missed training for “personal reasons”. It has been confirmed to The Athletic that this was to attend court as part of the ongoing legal process.
On the pitch, his form declined from March onwards. His domestic season with PSG ended with successive red cards. The first, against Lorient, saw him dismissed after picking up two yellow cards in the opening 20 minutes for rash tackles; the second came in a 5-0 win over Ajaccio, where he reacted to provocation by throwing his arm at Thomas Mangani, who was also dismissed. On his way back to the dressing room, he was seen and heard by cameras in the tunnel saying, “That’s France“. It was not clear to what he was referring.
There was quiet talk that he may consider his future as the season drew to a close, following a dismal title run-in, peppered with off-field distraction at PSG that created a climate of uncertainty.
But the changes enacted by the club during the summer, including the departures of star names Neymar and Lionel Messi, and the recruitment of 13 new players, brought change for Hakimi on the field — most notably through the appointment of Luis Enrique, who is taking his game to a new level.
“His arrival really benefited me,” Hakimi said in a club interview last month. “His style of play is how I like to play: constant attacking. As he says, I’m not just a defender, because I also really like to be involved in the final third. I’m happy he’s here and that I can play for him.”
Hakimi has not just established his status as an attacking force — he is also now central to PSG’s forward and build-up play. He has immediately struck up an understanding with the former Barcelona forward Ousmane Dembele, one of PSG’s most notable summer signings, and there is far more to his game now.
He has four goals and four assists from 18 matches in all competitions — three goal involvements shy of his entire season total from last year. He is also taking more shots than ever, averaging 2.1 per 90 minutes, according to data from fbref.com, which is far more than his 0.8 and 0.7 from the previous two seasons. In this season’s Champions League, before last night’s fixtures, nobody had created more chances from open play (14) than Hakimi.
Watching him surge from the back is hardly a new thing. It was the trademark that caught the eye during his time at Dortmund, whether he played on the left of defence or the right, and then helped him make his name in Antonio Conte’s Inter Milan side in 2020-21. At PSG, his movements remain vertical, whether that be darting forward via an underlap to attack the box, as seen below against Montpellier…
… or a more traditional run down the outside, as seen here against Newcastle United…
But it is the former that he is doing more often, and this is where his game has evolved. Luis Enrique is inviting him to step into midfield when PSG have possession, in the mould of Joao Cancelo during his time at Manchester City and Trent Alexander-Arnold at Liverpool. As you can see from these Champions League pass-reception graphics, he is on the ball in central areas far more often.
Hakimi’s verticality and dynamism make him a different profile to those other players but, in his own way, he is an essential part of a potent right flank for PSG.
“It’s a different role,” Hakimi said. “I am asked to participate more, especially when we attack, to be more involved on the pitch in the final third. It’s something I love doing and I feel comfortable, more free. Luis Enrique understood what I wanted and I like that style of play.”
PSG’s build-up play frequently starts in a back three, with left-back Lucas Hernandez tucking infield. Hakimi then steps into midfield to form a second line of three, with a third midfielder, often Vitinha, moving into the front line and rotating onto the left wing, with Kylian Mbappe moving centrally. It can often resemble a 2-3-5 or a 3-3-4, depending on where the ball is. It can be seen here against Dortmund…
… and AC Milan.
Hakimi has the licence to attack the box, whether that be through combination play with Dembele or to complete attacks. His goal against Rennes perfectly illustrated his role and his attacking instincts. Hakimi starts in his inside-right midfield position, and the moment Warren Zaire-Emery receives a return pass from Vitinha, he attacks the box and is rewarded.
The numbers reflect his importance to PSG’s build-up play. He is completing more passes per 90 minutes this season (79.7) than last year (60.2), and more than three times as many passes into the final third too — 7.2 compared to 2.2. His progressive passes (those that move the ball towards the opponent’s goal line by at least 10 yards from its furthest point in the last six passes), are up to 9.9 per 90 minutes. His previous best was 5.6 at Dortmund in 2019-20.
Hakimi the midfielder is the next step in his evolution. Under Favre at Dortmund, his attacking flair was unleashed. At Inter, he refined his defensive game, with Conte using videos and individualised training to work on his positioning and aggression. “He wanted to make me a more complete player — he was right.” Hakimi told L’Equipe.
Now, as he returns to the club where he turbo-charged his career, he is closer than ever to that, building his case as one of the best right-backs in the game.
“Hakimi is a top-quality player,” said Luis Enrique this season. “He is not just a right-back, but a midfielder and a forward. It’s a delight for a coach to have a player of this quality.”
(Top photo: Aurelien Meunier – PSG/PSG via Getty Images)
