Hakimi becomes Morocco’s most-capped World Cup player

Morocco international Achraf Hakimi added another milestone to his growing list of achievements after featuring in his country’s World Cup opener against Brazil.

Hakimi started for Morocco in Saturday’s Group C match against Brazil at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, currently being held across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The appearance marked Hakimi’s 11th World Cup match for Morocco, making him the most-capped Moroccan player in the history of the tournament. He surpassed former teammate Hakim Ziyech, who made 10 World Cup appearances for the Atlas Lions.

The 27-year-old also equaled the African record for most World Cup appearances, drawing level with former Cameroon midfielder François Omam-Biyik and retired Ghana striker Asamoah Gyan, according to football statistics website Transfermarkt.

Hakimi made his World Cup debut at the 2018 tournament in Russia, where he played all three of Morocco’s group-stage matches.

He then featured in each of Morocco’s seven matches at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, helping the Atlas Lions become the first African and Arab nation to reach the semifinals of the competition.

The defender, who recently won the UEFA Champions League with Paris Saint-Germain, reached his 11-match World Cup milestone in Morocco’s opening game against Brazil.

With Morocco expected to make another deep run in the tournament, Hakimi now has the opportunity to become the outright African record-holder for World Cup appearances in the coming matches.