PSG star Achraf Hakimi Clarifies he did not choose to leave Real Madrid

Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi clarified his departure from Spanish giants Real Madrid after the French Ligue 1 team defeated them 4-0 in a dominant performance in the Club World Cup midweek.

The 26-year-old has cleared the air about his exit and aimed a slight dig at his former side for selling him in 2020.

The Moroccan captain once again put on a great display in the Club World Cup semi-final against the 15-time European champions.

Following the 4-0 defeat, the full-back was questioned about Madrid’s decision to sell him in 2020, prompting a coy response from Hakimi.

Hakimi elaborated that he is thankful to be at PSG, where he can play in his preferred style and enjoy the game.

Speaking to former Madrid midfielder Claude Makelele on DAZN, Hakimi spoke about his departure from Madrid. He said:

“It was their decision [to sell me], not mine.”

Then, he opened up on his experience at PSG, saying:

“They let me do what I like to do, play and have fun. With this coach who gave me his trust and the freedom to play in midfield from time to time but also to defend. The truth is that I’m very happy and I’m having fun with this team.”

Born in Madrid to Moroccan parents, Hakimi joined Madrid’s La Fábrica at the age of seven in 2006. He spent a decade developing there before playing for Castilla, the reserve team, during the 2016/17 season.

Hakimi’s standout performances for Madrid’s B team secured his promotion to the first team for the 2017/18 season under head coach Zinedine Zidane, where he made 17 appearances across all competitions, contributing to Madrid’s third consecutive Champions League triumph.

With Dani Carvajal excelling at right-back, Hakimi, the Moroccan, was permitted to depart Madrid on a two-year loan to Borussia Dortmund.

In 2020, Hakimi was surprisingly sold to Inter Milan, where he played for one season before being acquired by Paris Saint-Germain.

The dynamic right-back aims to guide PSG to their fifth trophy of the 2024/25 season by defeating Chelsea in the Club World Cup final on Sunday, July 13.