“They sacrificed themselves for me,” When Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi recalled his mother’s contribution in helping him become a football player
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Achraf Hakimi with his Mother
Morocco etched its name in the history of the FIFA World Cup in the year 2022’s campaign by defeating Spain after a pulsating draw with them going on to penalties. Achraf Hakimi, the Moroccan wonder boy, wins it for his side after taking one of the coldest penalty kicks (panenka) to send his team forward in the quarterfinals. Their first-ever quarterfinals after getting knocked out in the pre-quarters during the 1986 World Cup.
The Spanish giants failed to score even one in the back of the net. Achraf Hakimi was found celebrating with his mother, and their photos are winning the internet and hearts. He has also been spotted with his mother celebrating a win earlier in the campaign. She has been a constant campaign of her son throughout this world cup, cheering for his success from the stance.
In an earlier interview, Achraf Hakimi who plays for the French league, PSG, was quoted sharing admirable thoughts about his family’s past, saying, “My mother cleaned the houses and my father was a street vendor. We come from a modest family that struggled to earn a living. Today I fight every day for them. They sacrificed themselves for me. They deprived my brothers of many things for me to succeed.” This is something that can never be repaid, but Hakimi surely tries.
This year’s World Cup campaign has seen so many upsets thus far. Morocco‘s win against Spain was indeed an upset for them. The Spanish coach Luis Enrique who left David De Gea and Sergio Ramos out of the squad, is getting trolled for taking inexperienced players to the finals, and the experience cost them the penalties. This loss shall be a lesson for the Spanish to never leave leaders out of the squad.
Achraf Hakimi’s cold penalty in Morocco’s victory over Spain in the 2022 FIFA World Cup
The game pattern was stoned from the first minute; Spain dominated possession but struggled for a conversion through a formidable Morocco backline. Luis Enrique’s side had almost 70 percent of the ball in the first 45 minutes but couldn’t go closer than Marco Asensio’s attempt, with Gavi and Ferran Torres both denied in the same move by brilliant defensive blocks. However, the offside flag was already up.
It matters a lot, though, as Spain failed with their first three spot-kicks in the shootout, leaving Achraf Hakimi to convert the decisive kick with a cool-minded Panenka chip nervelessly and took his team through for a meeting with Portugal in the third quarterfinal on Saturday. Morocco had their two best chances of the first period of extra time, Cheddira first getting blocked by Aymeric Laporte’s challenge and then the perfect interception of Simon. Ultimately, the superb defending did the part for the African side.
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Akshat Pandey
(275 Articles Published)