Hakimi's Blunt Take: I Didn't Enjoy Playing With Messi at PSG
3 April 2026
Context of a Messy Era at PSG
Achraf Hakimi, Paris Saint-Germain's dynamic right-back, reveals he did not enjoy playing alongside Lionel Messi during Messi's stint in the French capital.
While Messi could unlock teammates with his genius, Hakimi's strengths as an attacking full-back were not fully leveraged when the Barcelona legend was in Paris, as PSG boasted a theoretically fearsome attacking trio with Neymar and Mbappe on paper.
PSG's European ambitions during that period remained unfulfilled, and the team only found balance later under Luis Enrique, with Hakimi rising as one of the era's finest full-backs thanks to his pace and refined finishing.
From 2021 Transfer to PSG's Post-Messi Era
Hakimi joined PSG in the 2021 summer window for 68 million euros, while Messi arrived on a free transfer from Barcelona.
Messi's arrival changed the team's approach, centering play around the star trio and disrupting the balance Mauricio Pochettino had been seeking.
In an appearance on a podcast, Hakimi said that once Messi arrived, PSG's project and style shifted, and he did not enjoy it as much as he had hoped.
He added that he couldn't do the things he loves—attacking and feeling important—and felt like a smaller player, reminiscent of how he felt wearing Morocco's colors on the national stage.
The interview also touches on mental strain and the questions from fans about why he seemed different for Morocco compared to PSG, with some failing to understand the distinction.
A note: the article references a Ligue 1 clash between PSG and Toulouse on April 3, 2026 at 20:45, used to illustrate the broader context of the period.
Punchlines to lighten the mood: If Messi is the spark, Hakimi is the one who brings the fuel—and apparently the fuel economy was not great for Hakimi’s happiness. And remember, the only thing faster than Hakimi's sprint might be a rumor about a PSG formation change lasting longer than a press conference.
