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Achraf Hakimi’s public claim that he “deserves” the Ballon d’Or has sparked discussions in Paris, with reports of dressing-room unease that PSG swiftly denied.
Speaking to Canal+, the Moroccan reflected on his and his inclusion among the 30 finalists. “When people put me in the Ballon d’Or debate, it’s a dream I had never thought of. If I have the possibility to win it, I think I deserve it too,” he said.
According to L’Équipe, those comments cooled the atmosphere within the squad. The newspaper claims the club unsuccessfully sought to have those claims removed before the video was broadcast – a move that PSG insists never happened. Officials say the squad is “calm” and fully focused on Wednesday’s UEFA Super Cup game against Tottenham at 8:00 PM Morocco time in Udine, Italy.
The French outlet also suggested Hakimi’s stance clashed with PSG’s internal messaging, which has publicly backed Ousmane Dembélé as the club’s leading Ballon d’Or contender. The winger has been the focus of the club’s promotional push for the award, which will be presented on September 22 at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, France.
This year, PSG became the first club in history to have nine players simultaneously named among the 30 Ballon d’Or finalists – matching Real Madrid’s record for most nominees in a single year. In 2022, nine Real Madrid players were nominated for the Ballon d’Or. Karim Benzema won the award. Other nominees from the team included Thibaut Courtois, Luka Modrić, Vinícius Júnior, and Eduardo Camavinga.
It is not the first time L’Équipe has reported tensions at the club. Earlier this summer, the paper reported that several players, including Hakimi, Gianluigi Donnarumma, and Vitinha, felt they deserved equal recognition to their higher-profile teammates.
