Achraf Hakimi: I Felt Like a Small Player Next to Messi at PSG
Achraf Hakimi opens up on Lionel Messi's PSG spell, revealing the tactical shift that limited his attacking runs and left him struggling mentally.
Paris Saint-Germain right-back Achraf Hakimi has offered a candid look back at the period when Lionel Messi was playing in the French capital, admitting the Argentine's arrival had a real impact on his own role and form.
A different PSG project
According to the Morocco international, the club's whole project changed direction once Messi signed, and the team adopted a new way of playing. Hakimi explained that the revised setup no longer allowed him to do what he enjoyed most, particularly bursting forward and making penetrating runs into the opposition half. Reflecting on that time, he said he "felt like a small player".
Star for Morocco, criticised in Paris
Hakimi also highlighted a striking contrast. While he was an important figure for the Moroccan national team in the same period, he was unable to play the way he wanted at PSG or show what he was capable of. He described the situation as mentally tough and revealed that he was on the receiving end of heavy criticism at the time.
Messi joined Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2021 and spent two seasons in Ligue 1, the same summer Hakimi arrived in Paris from Inter. The defender's comments are a reminder that a squad packed with superstars does not always bring out the best in every player around them.
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