Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi has opened up about his challenging period playing alongside Lionel Messi, revealing that the Argentine star’s presence altered the team’s style and limited his own contributions on the pitch.
Despite the attacking potential of a PSG trio featuring Messi, Neymar, and Kylian Mbappé, Hakimi said he struggled to assert himself as an attacking full-back. “As soon as Messi arrived, the Paris Saint-Germain project changed, and with it, the team’s style of play changed. We were playing in different ways, and I wasn’t enjoying it,” Hakimi told the podcast THE BRIDGE.
The Moroccan international explained that the shift in playing style underlined the difficulty he faced in performing his preferred attacking role. “I wasn’t doing the things I like to do, like attacking and feeling important… I felt like a small player, and I remember at that moment I was seeing my situation with the national team, where I was being treated as an important player,” he added.
Hakimi and Messi both joined PSG in the summer of 2021, with Hakimi arriving from Inter Milan for €68 million and Messi joining on a free transfer from Barcelona. While Messi’s arrival was expected to strengthen PSG’s attacking ambitions, Hakimi said it inadvertently disrupted the balance of the team, particularly under then-coach Mauricio Pochettino.
During that era, PSG struggled to achieve their desired European success. Hakimi’s own form flourished only after the departure of Messi and Neymar and the arrival of Luis Enrique, who reportedly found a better equilibrium between individual brilliance and collective teamwork. The Moroccan defender’s speed, attacking instincts, and final touch became central to his resurgence under Enrique.
Reflecting on the mental toll of the period, Hakimi revealed the scrutiny he faced from fans and media. “It was mentally difficult for me to perform in Paris as I wanted, and then the criticism started pouring in. People were asking why I play like this with Morocco and then look different in Paris. Is he not okay? Or is there another reason? People don’t understand the difference,” he said.
Hakimi’s candid revelations shed light on the challenges of integrating star players into an already talented squad and highlight the fine balance between individual talent and team cohesion at elite clubs.
