Achraf Hakimi discusses Zinédine Zidane's role in his development | OneFootball

Achraf Hakimi - Zinédine Zidane

Achraf Hakimi admits it. He is the player he is today in part thanks to the legendary Zinédine Zidane.

In his interview with Clique on Canal+, Achraf Hakimi spoke about the role Zinédine Zidane played in his development. The captain of the Atlas Lions paid tribute to the French legend, recalling that Zizou was the first coach to put his trust in him as a professional, back in 2017 at Real Madrid.

"What did he bring me? He gave me his trust. I was in the reserve team with Castilla, I was 17 or 18 years old, and he invited me to the first team and gave me playing time. I thank him for that—it's not just any coach who would do that. I will be eternally grateful to him because he was one of the first to give me the chance to play professionally. I learned a lot from him—about his relationship with players, the way he communicates... He spoke to us as if we were his own children, as if he was giving advice to his son Luca, and he wanted the best for me. I learned so much from Zidane." he said.