Morocco’s Hakim Ziyech Opens Up About Family, Fame, and World Cup Journey

Hakim Ziyech, known for his strong personality, has made some confidences about his life and professional career. "I don’t really like the spotlights, I prefer to devote my time and energy to something else. I’m now focusing on sports," he told Vogue NI, the Dutch version of the famous magazine, reflecting on the blossoming of his fame at Ajax Amsterdam and his transfer to Chelsea.

Ziyech was one of the great architects of the historic run of the Atlas Lions who reached the semi-finals at the 2022 World Cup, becoming the first African and Arab team to reach this level in the competition. An achievement that made the Moroccan people and their diaspora proud. But for Ziyech, who wanted to win the cup, the disappointment is great. "It’s a big step, but it’s also a disappointment. We were in the last four. We were so close and we just didn’t make the final," he lamented.

The Moroccan international talked about the fusional relationship of the Atlas Lions with their parents, especially their mothers, manifested during the World Cup in Qatar. "I saw a teammate kiss his mother on the forehead. I think it touched people. Those are the most beautiful images of the whole World Cup," said the Chelsea striker, who notes that his mother, "who is already elderly," was unable to make the trip to Qatar.

Ziyech assures that his mother is "proud" of him, even though he admits that he "doesn’t see her much anymore." "When I played for Ajax, I would visit her two or three times a week," he said, recalling that he lost his father when he was 10 years old. "The older I got, the more I realized I would never have a father figure again," the Walid Regragui protégé said emotionally.