Achraf Hakimi: The Training Move That Changed His Career

During an interview with the «Colinterview» program, the French coach emphasized that the defender’s discovery was not the result of an isolated initiative. He praised the structural work of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) and its former technical director, Nasser Larguet, whose scouting network was already monitoring the young talent as he developed in the shadow of Dani Carvajal at Real Madrid.

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Renard explained that he transformed the player’s profile, as Hakimi initially considered himself an attacker. Faced with a shortage at left-back, the coach tested Hakimi on that flank during a training session. «I was surprised by his technical quality and his ability to play with both feet with the same effectiveness», he said, a revelation that cemented the coach’s confidence in the young dual-national player.

That intuition materialized during a match against Mali in Rabat, a game Renard described as a «special night». For his first official start, Hakimi scored a goal, justifying his permanent inclusion in the starting eleven. Throughout the Renard era, the player remained on the left flank, while the right side was assigned to veteran Nabil Dirar.

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Now one of the world’s finest specialists in his position, Achraf Hakimi embodies, according to his former mentor, the success of Morocco’s strategy of identifying talent abroad. This organized institutional effort enabled the Kingdom to integrate a player trained in Spain, who has since become an indispensable pillar of the national team.