Hakimi: Why PSG’s superstar Moroccan is no real hero

Achraf Hakimi has been labelled as an Alec following the viral reports of his divorce proceedings with his ex-wife Hiba Abouk, but is he really the hero fans think he is?

Achraf Hakimi is no doubt one of the most talented African players of his generation.

The 24-year-old Moroccan wingback is right up there with the best players in his position and is regarded as one of Europe’s elite defenders.

The Paris Saint Germain star has already recorded success with some of the biggest clubs in world football including Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid and Inter Milan.

Hakimi has excelled for his national team on the international scene as well, helping the Atlas Lions become the first-ever African nation to reach the semifinals of a FIFA World Cup.

Morocco were only prevented from reaching the finals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar after they were defeated by France in the semis.

However, in addition to Hakimi’s impressive exploits on the pitch, the PSG star has recently earned plaudits over a viral report surrounding his divorce from his ex-wife Hiba Abouk.

In April this year, a rumour emerged that Hakimi had allegedly transferred his entire wealth to his mother’s(Sadia Mouh) custody, following his ex-wife, Hiba Abouk’s desire to divorce him.

The unconfirmed report revealed that Hiba Abouk was shocked to discover that the player had no assets registered in his name, leaving her with nothing to part with as settlement in the divorce proceedings.

Pulse Sports cannot verify the authenticity of this claim as neither Hakimi nor Hiba Abouk confirmed the viral rumour which had since broken the internet.

Hakimi’s alleged move had sparked reactions from several celebrities on social media, with some drumming support for the Moroccan, while others were seemingly against his actions.

It is still uncertain whether or not the report had any truth, but we know that it is one of the biggest stories in the sporting world so far this year, and fans have since been quick to suggest Hakimi is the ultimate Alec and hero.

While some theories have been coined with his name, it is pertinent to look at the fact as facts and sieve out certain general misconceptions.

Hakimi: Debunking the PSG star’s hero narrative

Before his divorce from Hiba Abouk, Achraf Hakimi had already been charged with rape.

In February this year, Pulse Sports reported via Le Parisien that Hakimi was accused of raping a 24-year-old lady at his home in Boulogne.

The 24-year-old footballer allegedly tried to have his way with the victim who revealed via the report that  Hakimi kissed her on the mouth, lifted her clothes and kissed her breasts despite her refusal. 

 The report added that the young victim, who lives in Fontenay-sous-Bois (Val-de-Marne) finally managed to free herself from the footballer by pushing him away with her foot.

When she was released, she then allegedly sent a text message to a friend who came to pick her up. 

Although, she didn’t wish to file any charges against the footballer, but rather "make a statement of rape", French prosecutors later revealed to AFP that Hakimi had been officially charged with rape as an investigation had since been opened into the case, due to the seriousness of the allegations and the popularity of the footballer.

In response to the charges, Hakimi through his lawyer Fanny Collins, has already denied all accusations and is reportedly cooperating with the authorities to get to the bottom of the matter.

Collins was quoted to have said in response to allegations levelled against Hakimi:

 "The accusations are false. He is calm and is making himself available to the authorities.", Collins was quoted to have said as per Le Parisien.

Despite popular belief that Abouk's decision to divorce the PSG star was motivated by the rape claims, the story actually has more layers.

Hakimi and Hiba Abouk's relationship 

Hakimi and Hiba Abouk’s relationship came to the limelight in 2018 before the pair got married two years later.

She met the Paris Saint Germain star in 2018 at a photo shoot for Vogue Arabia while he was playing for Real Madrid.

They later went public with their relationship at a charity event in Madrid in June 2019 and made things official on Instagram two months later.

The issues in Hakimi’s marriage to Hiba Abouk reportedly started in 2022.

Reports in Spain suggested that Abouk had already desired to separate from Hakimi due to some reasons.

One was that the huge difference in their age was one of the main factors behind Abouk’s decision to call it quits as the couple struggled to align on their ideologies and goals.

As of July 2023, Abouk is 36, while Hakimi is 24.

Another was that Abouk wanted her ex-husband to prioritize her and their children,  Amín, 3, and Naim, 1.

This is not to say that Hakimi neglected his duties as a father, but that the Moroccan footballer still preferred the lifestyle of a bachelor due to his age.

Hakimi has on several occasions been spotted out socializing and partying without his wife - a concern Abouk worked on resolving as she revealed in an interview with Elle Magazine.

Abouk ultimately saw the marriage was not working and subsequently labelled her marriage, ‘a failed project’, in her first reaction following Hakimi’s rape case.

So, to say that Abouk only wanted out of the marriage due to the allegations of rape levelled against the footballer would be inaccurate.

If anything, the rape allegations would have only pushed the Spanish-Tunisian actress to speed up her divorce from the player.

Abouk’s first statement after Hakimi was accused of rape in February, came the following month as fans questioned her silence on the matter.

Abouk released a statement on Monday, March 27, via her official Instagram account and began by defending her silence on the matter, before going ahead to open up on her divorce plans.

“After having taken the decision to legally separate and to stop living together whilst awaiting the divorce procedure, which you can imagine, on top of the pain brought about by the separation, as well as having to accept the sadness that a failed project, which I gave my body and soul, brings, I was supposed to face up to this disgraceful act? I needed time to come to terms with this shock,” she said in the statement as first reported by the Spanish newspaper El Pais.

Habouk’s statement did in no way show that Hakimi was given the benefit of the doubt despite his lawyer denying the allegations publicly.

By the time the 36-year-old actress posted on her social networks, she literally could not wait to finalize her divorce from the footballer as she had already indeed picked sides.

And when the rumour surrounding their divorce proceedings broke the internet in April, Habouk received a lot of backlash from fans of the footballer, with some even going as far as naming her a ‘gold-digger only trying to covet what she did not work for’.

But the fact of the matter is that there are proceedings in divorce and there is what we call, ‘settlement’. 

This is one of the most crucial stages of any divorce whereby both parties must mutually agree on how to share property and finances.

 In a majority of cases the wife may be entitled to substantial parts of her husband's wealth as compensation in settlement.

In Hakimi’s case, no one eventually knows if the divorce has been officially concluded or if a settlement has been agreed and on what terms.

What we do know is that the former couple still follow each other on social media, and Hakimi continues to play his role as a father.

There was no real for Hakimi to be labelled ‘a Hero’, simply for trying to cheat his way out of a divorce.

No matter how resourceful his alleged actions were, it would be brutally unfair to his ex-wife, should the rumours turn out to be true.

Since, as far as we know, he was never compelled to marry his ex-wife in the first place, that act alone would be viewed as "childish" and "insensitive."

Even though Hiba Abouk would hardly struggle as a single mother due to her success as an actress and model, she is within her full right to be entitled to a share of her husband’s wealth.

Hakimi is one of the highest-paid defenders in world football and boasts a far higher net worth than his wife.

The ideal situation would be to agree to settle his ex-wife in the divorce proceedings while fulfilling his responsibilities as a father.

 What's clear here is that Hakimi was never quite ready to marry, and his mother didn't fully approve of his choice. 

And this is evident in his lifestyle, and Abouk might have been unable to shift the way he sees it.

Hiba Abouk and her mother-in-law Sadia Mouh are said to have had a chilly relationship, which is further evidenced by Mouh's statements after the rumours of her son transferring riches to her name became public.

There were also rumours that Hakimi only opted to marry his ex-wife because she was expecting children for him.

But all these remain unfounded speculations and rumours.

 What is certainly a fact, is that if Hiba Abouk is forced to solely provide to train her children without the financial input of Hakimi who is economically stronger than her, then the Paris Saint Germain darling is certainly no hero for allegedly protecting his wealth from his ex-wife and indirectly denying his children access to it as well.

 That logic is, however, valid only insofar as Hakimi had indeed transferred his fortune into the name of his mother to evade having to pay substantial financial support for his wife and children.

Hakimi remains charged with rape, although, under French law, being charged is no guarantee that the case will go to trial. 

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