Paris Saint-Germain's Moroccan right-back Achraf Hakimi has won the Marc-Vivien Fo Prize awarded by FRANCE 24 and RFI to the best African player in the French league.
PSGdefender AchrafHakimihas been voted the top African player inLigue 1after helping his club win the title and reach theChampions Leaguefinal.
The 26-year-old Moroccan won the Marc-Vivien Fo Prize on Monday ahead of Nice forward Evann Guessand, from Ivory Coast, and Strasbourg midfielder Habib Diarra, from Senegal.
He succeeds Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who won the honour in 2024 when playing for Marseille.
The prize is named after Fo, the popular Cameroon player and two-time African champion who collapsed and died on a field in France in 2003 while playing for his country.
Hakimi, regarded as one of the best right-backs in the world, scored as the Paris sidedefeated Arsenal 2-1last week in their Champions League semi-final second leg.
PSG are hoping for their first-ever treble. In addition to the Champions League final against Inter Milan on May 31, they face Reims the week before in the French Cup final.
Hakimi is the second defender to win the award after Congolese player Chancel Mbemba in 2023. He's also the fourth Moroccan, following Marouane Chamakh in 2009, Youns Belhanda in 2012 and Sofiane Boufal in 2016.
The PSG right-back was a key player in the Moroccan team that made history in 2022 by becoming the first African squad to reach the semi-finals of a World Cup.
He has faced acriminal investigationin France since March 2023 over rape allegations he denies.The player's lawyer has claimed Hakimi was the victim of "attempted racketeering".
(FRANCE 24 with AP)
Originally published on France24
