The Ballon d’Or ceremony will be held in Paris on Monday, September 22, and the identity of the winner, Rodrigue’s successor, will be revealed. The nominees include players such as Ousmane Dembélé, Lamine Yamal, Ashraf Hakimi and Kylian Mbappé. In an article published by media such as the Journal du Real and DZ Foot, Ilyes Kaddouri and El Botola explain their choice for Ashraf Hakimi, highlighting an exceptional season. Despite a growing perception of inconsistencies in the rankings, the event is still expected by the entire football community.

Kaddouri defends his choice by highlighting Hakimi’s consistency and statistical performance, including his 15 goals and 18 milestones as a defender, figures that are unparalleled in history. He noted that Hakimi was a pillar of the PSG until December 2024, participating in many high-level games and making a significant contribution to the club’s collective success. He criticized PSG’s communication for not putting Hakimi forward, believing that the collective had been the engine of victory and that the choice of Ballon d’Or should be left to the community.

Although recognizing the talent of other players such as Ousmane Dembélé, Lamine Yamal and Pedri, Kaddouri insists that none of them have reached Hakimi’s level of consistency and performance. He notes that the latter would be the second African to win the prestigious trophy, a feat that could comfort him in his absence from the top 15 bookmakers after his goal in the final. He concludes by saying that Hakimi, at 26, is one of the greatest African players and that he has every chance of becoming a legend of continental football. The PSG also made an express round trip to Marseille for the OM-PSG match, postponed to the same day, with some potential adjustments in the group.