Following a widespread Moroccan social media campaign, French sports media is now backing Achraf Hakimi's candidacy for the Ballon d'Or, as the debate intensifies ahead of the vote. On RMC Sport, football analyst Jean-Michel Larqué argued that Hakimi deserves recognition, stating that «it would be good for football» to see a defender win the award. He praised the Moroccan international for having «reinvented the full-back position» and called the PSG duo of Hakimi and Nuno Mendes «by far the best pair of full-backs in the world». Kevin Diaz, speaking on the After Foot show, went further, saying he would rank Hakimi as his top pick, citing the player's consistency and overall career. He also pointed to Hakimi's standout stats this season, 10 goals and 12 assists, «the stats of a forward in many leagues», he noted. Football legends like Cafu and Ronaldo (the Brazilian) have also publicly supported Hakimi's nomination. French commentators emphasize his versatility and influence on modern football, highlighting his ability to play both as a defender and an attacking midfielder. While names like Lamine Yamal and Ousmane Dembélé are among the current frontrunners, some voices in the French media argue that defenders like Hakimi deserve more recognition and that breaking the tradition of favoring attacking players would be a positive shift for the award. For the record, the 69th edition of the Ballon d'Or will take place on Monday, September 22, at the iconic Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris.
