PSG defender Achraf Hakimi has been voted the top African player in the French league after helping his club win a record-extending 13th Ligue 1 title and reach the Champions League final.
The 26-year-old Moroccan won the the Marc-Vivien Foe award ahead of Nice forward Evann Guessand, from Ivory Coast, and Senegalese midfielder Habib Diarra, who plays for Strasbourg.
The prize is named after the late Foe, the popular Cameroon player and two-time African champion who collapsed and died on a field in France in 2003 while playing for his country.
Hakimi, regarded as one of the best right-backs in the world, scored last week as PSG defeated Arsenal 2-1 in the second leg of their Champions League semifinal.
He is the second defender to win the award after Congolese player Chancel Mbemba in 2023. He’s also the fourth Moroccan, following Marouane Chamakh in 2009, Younès Belhanda in 2012 and Sofiane Boufal in 2016.
PSG is hoping for its first-ever treble this season. In addition to the Champions League final against Inter Milan on May 31, it faces Reims the week before in the French Cup final.
Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang won the honor in 2024.
PSG defender Achraf Hakimi named top African player in French league
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PSG defender Achraf Hakimi named top African player in French league
Dubai Basketball complete perfect weekend with 2 away wins
- Victories in the EuroLeague (Anadolu Efes Istanbul) and ABA League (SC Derby) respectively
- Team will host Armani Milan for round 18 of the EuroLeague at Coca-Cola Arena on Tuesday
DUBAI: Dubai Basketball capped off an outstanding week on the road in Europe with two statement victories, ahead of their return home to Coca-Cola Arena on Dec. 23 for round 18 of the EuroLeague.
The team opened the weekend in Istanbul with a dramatic 76-80 EuroLeague win over Anadolu Efes on Friday night, before travelling to Podgorica to extend their unbeaten run in the ABA League with a composed 67-80 victory against SC Derby on Sunday.
The wins mark a defining moment in Dubai Basketball’s season, following their first home defeat against Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv.
Friday’s EuroLeague clash in Istanbul tested Dubai Basketball’s composure. After trailing by double digits in the third quarter, the team mounted a comeback, staying disciplined in a tense fourth quarter.
McKinley Wright delivered a standout performance, proving to be one of the team’s most pivotal players in just his first season. The victory marked Dubai’s second EuroLeague road win of the season, both achieved in Istanbul.
Just two days later, Dubai Basketball continued their perfect start to Group A with a ninth consecutive win. Against SC Derby, the visitors absorbed early pressure before gradually asserting control.
A decisive stretch after halftime created separation, allowing Dubai to manage the closing stages comfortably and preserve their record as the league’s only unbeaten team.
The successful road trip now sets the stage for a EuroLeague showdown on Tuesday against Italian giants EA7 Emporio Armani Milan at Coca-Cola Arena.
