Hakimi Makes History: Second African to Win Champions League with French Club
- Achraf Hakimi has now equalled a long-standing record set by ex-Ghana playmaker Abedi Ayew Pele
- The Moroccan played a crucial role to help Paris Saint-Germain win their first-ever UEFA Champions League trophy
- PSG were ruthless against the Serie A giants Inter Milan who also suffered another heartbreak hours before Saturday's final
Paris Saint-Germain's Achraf Hakimi joins legendary Ghanaian football figure Abedi Ayew Pele in an elite Champions League history in French football.
In a dazzling display of dominance, PSG lifted the UEFA Champions League trophy for the first time in their history with a resounding 5-0 victory over Inter Milan on May 31, 2025, in Munich.
Source: Getty Images
Among the stars of the night was Moroccan full-back Hakimi, who netted the final's opening goal in the 12th minute to etch his name into the history books.
Achraf, who also played for Inter Milan in the past, became the second African player to win the prestigious tournament with a French club, following the path of the ex-Black Stars captain.
PSG outclass Inter Milan in Munich
The Ligue 1 winners stamped their authority from the first whistle to the final minute as Inter failed to match PSG's high tempo.
Goals from Achraf, Desire Doue, who hit a powerful brace, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and substitute Senny Mayulu sealed the emphatic win.
19-year-old Doue deservedly won the official UEFA Player of the Match after his dominant display for Luis Enrique's team.
Meanwhile, this was a second UCL final heartbreak for the Serie A giants in two years after losing the 2023 final to Manchester City.
PSG clinch the treble
Everyone at PSG is overjoyed after an astonishing 2024/25 season that saw the French side win a historic treble.
Paris Saint-Germain secured the Ligue 1 title with six games remaining on April 5, 2025, with an away victory at Angers, according to The Guardian.
Luis Enrique's men comfortably dealt with Reims in the Coupe de France final on May 24, winning 3-0 before humbling Inter Milan on Saturday to annex their maiden Champions League silverware.
The Parisians, therefore, join the likes of FC Barclona, Bayern Munich, Celtic, Ajax, Inter Milan, Manchestter United as the clubs to win all three major trophies in a single season.
Luis Enrique, who led Barcelona to a treble in 2014/15, joins Pep Guardiola as the only managers to achieve the feat with two different clubs.
Hakimi following in the footsteps of Abedi Ayew
Notably, the pivotal role and the all-around performance of Achraf Hakimi in PSG's Champions League triumph are making the headlines.
The former Real Madrid player was instrumental on both ends of the pitch, defensively sound and offensively electric.
Source: Getty Images
With this victory, Hakimi joins Ghanaian legend Abedi Ayew Pele in a very exclusive club.
Ayew Pele was the first African to win the UEFA Champions League with a French side, doing so with Olympique de Marseille in the 1992/93 season, the very first edition of the modern Champions League format.
The Morocco international, however, refused to celebrate his goal against his ex-club, per Independent.
Hakimi’s challenging yet successful career
Over three decades later, Hakimi mirrors that achievement with PSG, becoming the second African to replicate the feat.
While many African players have won the Champions League, doing so with a French club remains a rare and significant accomplishment.
Hakimi’s journey from the streets of Madrid to the summit of European football is emblematic of the new wave of African talent redefining world football.
Born in Spain to Moroccan parents, the 26-year-old chose to represent Morocco at the international level and has since become a national hero, especially after his standout performances during the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
His success at PSG caps off a season in which he emerged as a true leader on and off the pitch.
In an exclusive chat with YEN.com.gh, Ghanaian football photojournalist Felix Gyasi praised Moroccan star Achraf Hakimi for his impressive achievement.
''Hakimi deserves this success. He has worked for it all these and I am just happy for him. From Real Madrid to Inter Milan and then at Paris. If you look at the World Cup in Qatar, he was a very influential player for Morocco and at PSG he is also a main player. It is always good to see African players shine on the global stage'' he said.
Abedi Pele among Ghana's most impactful sports figures
YEN.com.gh earlier featured a rich list of Ghanaian sports personalities to have played significant roles to make the country's sport what it is today.
The list included great names from various disciplines as well as iconic persons from politics and governance.
Abedi Ayew, who played for clubs such as Real Tamale United in Ghana and Olympique Marseille in France, earned recognition for his pioneering football career on the international stage.
Source: YEN.com.gh
