Achraf Hakimi is no longer hiding his ambitions — he wants the Ballon d’Or and he’s saying it loud and clear.
In a Canal+ interview, the Moroccan right-back declared: “If I have the chance to win it, I think I deserve it too… The stats I had this year are not those of a normal defender. I think when a defender does that, he deserves it more than an attacker.”
According to L’Équipe, PSG allegedly tried to have this part of the interview cut, hoping to avoid any dressing-room tensions. The club had chosen Ousmane Dembélé as its main candidate for the award.
PSG firmly denies it
Contacted by the paper, the club strongly denied any attempt to censor its players, insisting it is “very calm” and “focused on preparing” for the UEFA Super Cup.
Hakimi, coming off a stellar season with 11 goals and 18 assists, stood by his words. As for Dembélé, no rift in sight — the French winger, a close friend of Hakimi, has no intention of fueling the debate: “The most important thing for us remains the team… Everyone is free to say what they want,” his camp said, adding that Ousmane is “focused on the start of the season” and won’t “get involved in any controversy.”
Whether this double Ballon d’Or ambition stays as healthy competition or turns into a delicate issue for PSG remains to be seen in the weeks ahead.
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