Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi expressed his disappointment at the Moroccan fans’ repeated booing of the players during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations matches against Comoros and Mali at the Moulay Abdellah Stadium.
The Atlas Lions won their first match against Comoros 2-0, then drew 1-1 with Mali. In both matches, Walid Regragui’s team failed to live up to expectations as the favorites to win the AFCON title for the first time since 1976.
Hakimi did not participate in either match as he recovered from injury. He appeared at the pre-match press conference before the Zambia game and declared himself 100% fit. The decision regarding whether he will start or come off the bench in the final group stage match rests with coach Regragui.
Meanwhile, Hakimi urged fans to support the national team instead of criticizing it, saying, “It’s not normal for fans to boo the players.”
He added, “We need the 12th man (the fans). I have experience with that and how positively it affects the players.”
He concluded, “I remember at Paris Saint-Germain, we weren’t winning in the Champions League, we were losing, and people were saying we weren’t a big team. In the end, we became European champions.”
Morocco has practically secured qualification for the Round of 16 even if they lose to Zambia. However, qualifying as group winners (in the event of a win) would guarantee them an easier path to the final, while a loss would set up a tough Round of 16 clash with Egypt.
