Kylian Mbappé has taken advantage of his time off to travel to Africa, where he has been spotted attending several Africa Cup of Nations matches from the stands. With the tournament underway, one of his former Paris Saint-Germain teammates has now revealed which team Mbappé sees as a leading contender to lift the AFCON trophy.
The AFCON has once again placed European clubs in a difficult position, as several top players have been called up by their national teams to compete for the title. One of those stars is Achraf Hakimi, a cornerstone of the Morocco national team in recent years, with the country currently hosting the tournament.
Mbappé attended Morocco’s match against Mali as a VIP guest, and ahead of the upcoming game against Zambia, Hakimi spoke to the media about the French forward’s presence: “It’s a pleasure to see my friend in my country. Mbappé really likes Morocco. He comes here often. He enjoys the country and the food. I’m very happy that he came to watch the match. He liked our team and said that we have improved and that we can win this Africa Cup of Nations.“
Hakimi and Mbappé developed a close friendship during their time together at PSG, a bond that has remained strong despite Mbappé now playing for Real Madrid. Although the France star has Cameroonian roots, he was seen wearing Morocco’s No. 2 jersey (Hakimi’s number) during the match, with the right back later revealing Mbappé’s belief in Morocco’s chances to win the tournament.
Achraf Hakimi of Paris Saint-Germain celebrates with Vitinha and Kylian Mbappe of Paris Saint-Germain.
Hakimi’s return to the pitch
Concerns arose during PSG’s Champions League match against Bayern Munich on November 4, when a heavy challenge from Luis Díaz forced Hakimi to leave the field injured. Medical reports later confirmed that the defender had suffered a severe ankle sprain with damage to the inner ligaments, sidelining him for several weeks.
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However, Hakimi made his return on Monday, coming on in the 64th minute against Zambia. “I feel good. The coach, the technical staff, and I have put together a plan. I wasn’t at 100 percent in the last few matches, but I was available. Now I feel much better. If I have to play, I’m ready. If not, I’ll help the way I have been from the bench. Even if I don’t play, I want to win the Africa Cup of Nations,” he said prior to the game.
Morocco pushing toward FIFA’s top 10
Morocco has emerged as one of the strongest national teams in recent years, highlighted by a fourth-place finish at the 2022 World Cup and titles at the 2025 U-20 World Cup and Arab Cup. Now competing at the AFCON, the Atlas Lions have a real chance to further elevate their international standing.
Following their Arab Cup triumph, Morocco climbed to 11th in the FIFA rankings, adding 3.22 points to reach 1,716.34 total points, just 0.55 points behind Croatia in 10th place. Should Hakimi’s side go on to win the AFCON, Morocco would earn enough points to break into the FIFA top 10 ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
