Join on WhatsApp
Join on Telegram
French journalist Bertrand Latour has revealed that Paris Saint-Germain tried to remove a part of an interview with Achraf Hakimi where the Moroccan defender said he thought he deserved the Ballon d’Or.
The news came out during a discussion on the Aliotalk football podcast where Latour, who conducted the interview for Canal +, talked about Hakimi’s answer and the club’s reaction behind the scenes.
Before the Ballon d’Or ceremony, Hakimi gave an extensive interview to Canal + where he talked about his season, his ambitions and his hopes for the future. When asked if he could win football’s top individual prize, the Moroccan international replied: “If I have the chance to win it, I think I deserve it.”
‘PSG didn’t want him to say that’
That answer reportedly didn’t sit well with PSG’s communications department. During his appearance on Aliotalk, Latour described the moment and the club’s request, noting Hakimi’s honesty about how he felt amid the race to the Ball d’Or.
“I found him sincere in his answers. I didn’t imagine he would say he deserved the Ballon d’Or — I expected a more conventional answer, which was what PSG wanted,” he said. “We understood very clearly that PSG didn’t want him to say that. I found him courageous.”
When asked directly by the host if PSG had asked for that part to be cut out, Latour replied: “Yes. It’s confirmed. Anyone saying the contrary is lying. That’s it — very clear.”
Hakimi’s answer was given just days before the 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony, with the award going to his PSG teammate Ousmane Dembélé in recognition of a great season for both club and country.
The clip of Latour’s comments went viral on social media, with fans praising the journalist for confirming what they knew was censorship and Hakimi for being honest. PSG hasn’t officially responded yet.
