Hakimi a 'gigantic weapon' for Morocco

Karim El Ahmadi has praised the qualities of Morocco star Achraf Hakimi ahead of the match against the Netherlands in the World Cup round of 16. El Ahmadi called Hakimi a 'gigantic weapon' due to his attacking abilities. El Ahmadi, who played with Hakimi in the national team, stated that Hakimi is 'almost impossible to stop' when attacking, especially since he has been given more freedom by the coach. Hakimi's role involves moving forward, while Noussair Mazraoui, Issa Diop, and Chadi Riad handle the buildup, supported by defensive midfielders Ayyoub Bouaddi and Neil El Aynaoui.

Knockout stage: Brazil vs Japan, Germany vs Paraguay, and Netherlands vs Morocco.

El Ahmadi noted that Hakimi's attacking mindset can sometimes leave him out of position defensively, as seen in the match against Brazil, where Carlo Ancelotti countered by quickly playing Vinícius Júnior on the left wing. Despite this, El Ahmadi emphasized that Hakimi is a 'gigantic weapon' when attacking, making runs into the depth of the field along with Saibari. Brazil ultimately chose to mark Hakimi with left-back Douglas Santos, but El Ahmadi believes Hakimi is the best back he has ever played with, and possibly the best currently playing.