He is one of the finest right-backs on the planet — and Ligue 1 has just made it official. Achraf Hakimi, Paris Saint-Germain’s Moroccan international, was named in the Team of the Year at the 2026 UNFP Trophy ceremony, held on Monday evening at the Palais Brongniart in Paris. A richly deserved honour for a player who has elevated his game even further this season as PSG march towards a second consecutive Champions League final.
The Best at His Position, Season After Season
Achraf Hakimi is no longer simply a high-level right-back — he is, week in week out, the most impactful player in his position in the entire French top flight. Defensively disciplined when required, devastatingly effective going forward, and capable of creating overloads at a speed few defenders can match, the 27-year-old Moroccan embodies the modern evolution of the full-back role. His numbers this season speak for themselves: goals, assists, and an exceptional volume of carries and completed dribbles for a defender. His place in the UNFP 2026 Team of the Year, voted by his fellow professionals, is the ultimate recognition of a consistency and level of excellence that is genuinely rare. In a PSG side dominating both French and European football, Hakimi is far more than a cog in the machine — he is one of its driving forces.
Morocco’s Symbol Ready to Shine at a Home World Cup
Beyond individual accolades, this recognition carries a particular resonance with just weeks to go before the 2026 World Cup, which Morocco is co-hosting alongside Spain and Portugal. Hakimi is not just a PSG superstar — he is the captain and figurehead of the Atlas Lions, the face of a golden Moroccan generation that dreams of shining in front of a home crowd. As a co-host nation, Morocco will play several matches on home soil, in an atmosphere that promises to be absolutely electric. With a Hakimi at the very peak of his powers — recognised by his peers as the best right-back in Ligue 1 — the Atlas Lions have every weapon they need to write a historic story. The king of the right flank is ready.