- Hakimi scored winning penalty against Spain
- He has been a key figure for the Atlas Lions
- Morocco will face Portugal in World Cup quarter-finals
WHAT HAPPENED? The 24-year-old, who features for Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain, scored the decisive penalty as Morocco defeated Spain 3-0 in the Round of 16 fixture to reach the quarter-finals of the 2022 Fifa World Cup in Qatar.
His performances for the Atlas Lions at the global competition have been impressive and his father has discussed the sacrifices he made to build the career of the defender.
WHAT DID HE SAY? "I want to tell all the parents that in Europe nothing is free," he told Maghrib Foot.
"When Achraf arrived in Madrid, I had to take him everyday at 4.30pm and I used to come back home at 9.30 pm, I drove 50km to the training camp and 50km back to our house.
"My message to the parents is to make sacrifices if they want their kids to succeed, I thank God for everything because the sacrifices that I made led to a positive outcome. Achraf's success makes me proud especially when I meet people, who tell me that he is a role model for all the Arabs and the Moroccans."
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Born in Spain to parents from Morocco, the right-back played a vital role as the Atlas Lions finished their Group F matches without defeat. They drew 0-0 against Croatia in the opener, stunned Belgium 2-0 before defeating Croatia 2-1.
WHAT NEXT FOR HAKIMI? He will hope to keep his role when Morocco take on Portugal in the last eight at Al Thumama Stadium on Saturday.
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