Achraf Hakimi, Paris Saint-Germain’s 26-year-old right-back, stopped by the press conference after Monday’s 0-2 win over the Seattle Sounders (video highlights Seattle Sounders/PSG) at Lumen Field as part of Matchday 3 of the 2025 World Cup. The Moroccan praised Seattle’s performance and commented on the difficult conditions, while highlighting PSG’s determination for the rest of the competition.
Hakimi “Seattle is a team that surprised me”.
“Seattle is a team that surprised me. They showed a lot of personality, with and without the ball. They tried to play from the back. I respect them a lot. I saw that Paul Rothrock had talked about me. On the pitch, he spoke to me with respect. I wanted to remember him and the other team. I wish him the best of luck in the future.
“Playing in a Club World Cup has some very good things. It’s a privilege to be here. The most negative thing I felt today, which we can’t change, is the heat. And it affects our style that we love: having possession.”
Achraf Hakimi once again confirmed his status as one of Paris Saint-Germain’s key players against Seattle. Scorer of the second Parisian goal and omnipresent on his flank, he played his third full match in this Club World Cup, illustrating his regularity and importance in Luis Enrique’s set-up. But beyond his individual performance, Hakimi underlined the difficulty of the context: the heat and the state of the pitch weighed heavily on the bodies, like a Parisian team at the end of the season, sometimes lacking in freshness.
The Moroccan also insisted on respecting his opponents, praising the Sounders’ personality and Paul Rothrock’s attitude, proof of the humility and lucidity of the Parisian dressing room. This victory, achieved without force but with seriousness, enables PSG to finish top of their group and enter the knockout phase with ambition, but also with the awareness that recovery will be a major issue if they hope to go all the way in this tough competition.
