In the past few hours, there was a major surprise following the absence of Achraf Hakimi, the Paris Saint-Germain star, from the list of nominees for the Marc-Vivien Foé Award for the best African player in the French league for the 2025/2026 season.

The award is one of the most prestigious individual awards in France, established in honor of the late Cameroonian player Marc-Vivien Foé, who passed away due to a heart attack during his participation in the 2003 Confederations Cup.

According to the French newspaper "L'Équipe," Hakimi was excluded from the list of 11 nominees due to his trial in a rape accusation case, as the selection criteria require exemplary behavior both on and off the field.

The Moroccan defender had undergone legal proceedings after being accused in an incident dating back to February 2023, with his retrial taking place last February, without an official conviction being issued against him.

Nevertheless, the organizing body decided to exclude him from competing for the award, based on the ethical standards adopted within the selection criteria.