The French newspaper L'Équipe revealed that the African continent did not provide sufficient support to Moroccan star Achraf Hakimi, a player for Paris Saint-Germain, during the voting process for the 2025 Ballon d'Or, which came as a shock to Moroccan fans.

According to the same source, the award went to Frenchman Ousmane Dembélé, after he garnered the majority of votes from African and Arab journalists, surpassing Hakimi, who managed to secure only three votes.

The report clarified that Hakimi received a vote from Morocco via journalist Mustafa Badri, along with another vote from Gabon and one from a Belgian journalist, while the remaining voters preferred to choose other names, most notably the winner Dembélé.

This reality has caused great disappointment in Moroccan football circles, as fans were expecting broader support from the African continent, given the high levels Hakimi has shown with his club and the national team in recent years, which has made him one of the top full-backs in the world.