Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi has created more chances than any other defender across the last two FIFA World Cups, while setting a single-tournament record for an African defender at the 2026 World Cup, according to Opta.
The Morocco right-back has created 21 chances across the 2022 and 2026 tournaments, the highest total by any defender over the two editions, Opta’s The Analyst said ahead of Morocco’s quarter-final against France.
Fifteen of those chances have come at the 2026 World Cup, the most by an African defender in a single edition since detailed tournament records began in 1966.
Hakimi has long operated as one of Morocco’s main attacking outlets from right-back, combining overlapping runs, ball progression and chance creation with his defensive responsibilities.
The 2026 performance also builds on Morocco’s historic run in Qatar four years earlier, when the Atlas Lions became the first African and Arab team to reach a World Cup semi-final.
Hakimi was central to that campaign and has remained a key figure in Morocco’s latest knockout run. The Atlas Lions reached the 2026 quarter-finals after beating Canada 3-0 in the round of 16.
Morocco now face France in a rematch of their 2022 semi-final, which Didier Deschamps’ side won 2-0. A victory would send Morocco into the last four for the second consecutive World Cup.
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