Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi has apologised to Gianni Infantino after he went to get an explanation from the FIFA president after the 3rd place game. The Moroccan wing defender regrets his outburst of anger, although he believes the incident should not be exaggerated.
Hakimi claimed a free kick in a dangerous position in the closing stages, but Abdulrahman Al-Jassim let play continue, much to the fury of the right wing back. After the final whistle, several Moroccan players vented their frustrations on the Qatari referee. Hakimi had to be pulled away by national coach Walid Regragui and then stormed in furiously.
In the tunnel, the Paris Saint-Germain player then encountered Infantino. According to the NOS, Hakimi wanted to get an explanation from the president of FIFA and he stood a few centimeters in front of Infantino. He then went on, raising his voice. The broadcaster was not allowed to film the images, because the striking moment did not take place in the official mixed zone.
Hakimi soon realised that he should have reacted differently. When the anger had subsided a bit, the back reported to Infantino again. “Nothing happened,” Hakimi told Moroccan media. “I was very angry and furious but later went to him and apologised for the things I said to him. Gianni is actually my friend and I respect him enormously.”
The Moroccan national coach, Walid Regragui, had already expressed disappointment with the behaviour of his players. It is unclear whether Hakimi’s tantrum will continue.
Regragui condemned the behaviour of some of his players
According to Walid Regragui, Morocco did not behave in the right way after the 3rd place game. The national coach had a message for his team in the dressing room.
Regragui condemned the behaviour of some of his players, who emphatically went to talk to the Qatari referee Abdulrahman Al-Jassim afterwards. “This is not the Moroccan way,” he said at the press conference after the 2-1 defeat.
“We sometimes overreact when a game is over. When you lose a game you are always disappointed. My players are very ambitious, but it wasn’t disrespectful,” he added.
According to Regragui, these ambitions should take further shape next year, “I told the players in the dressing room that if they want to get a place in history, they have to win the Africa Cup. We must rule our continent.”
