The former French coach Raymond Domenech, now an advisor to the French Football Federation, made intriguing statements regarding the identity of the player most deserving of winning the Ballon d'Or 2025, as he nominated the Moroccan star Achraf Hakimi for the award over prominent names such as the Frenchman Ousmane Dembélé.

In an interview with "La Gazzetta dello Sport," Domenech confirmed that if he had the vote to award the Ballon d'Or, he would choose the Moroccan defender Hakimi without hesitation, praising his consistent performance and brilliance in crucial moments during the 2024-2025 season.

Domenech stated: "Hakimi has had a fantastic season. As a defender, he scored important goals in the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final of the Champions League, which Dembélé did not do."

He added that Dembélé is also a great player deserving of competing for the award, but his true brilliance only emerged from January of last year, while Hakimi maintained a steady performance throughout the season.

Domenech (73 years old) continued: "I hope the world sees Hakimi receiving this most important individual award, especially since no full-back has been honored with it since its inception in 1956."

The veteran French coach's statements reflect the level of international recognition of Achraf Hakimi's status, who combines defensive solidity with offensive effectiveness, making him one of the leading candidates to strongly enter the Ballon d'Or race this year.