The PSG full-back opened up about his experience in sharing the pitch and dressing room with fellow summer signing Lionel Messi.
Achraf Hakimi admits to being ‘surprised’ by Lionel Messi’s reserved character inside the Paris Saint-Germain dressing room.
The six-time Ballon d’Or winner followed Hakimi to PSG in the summer by joining on a free transfer after Barcelona’s financial crisis forced him to pull the plug on a glorious 21-year spell.
Life at the Parc des Princes has since gotten off to a slow start, with Messi currently sidelined with injury. A bone bruise has restricted him to just a handful of appearances. But while their time on the pitch has been limited, Hakimi has already felt the perks of being the Argentine’s teammate.
“Building a technical relationship with him is easy! I give him the ball, I run and he will put it where it belongs!” the PSG full-back told L’Equipe. “I was surprised by the way he behaved, he is simple, quiet.”
From Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid to Romelu Lukaku at Inter Milan, Hakimi has played alongside many prestigious talents.
The 22-year-old added: “For Messi to leave Barca, like everyone else, I didn’t expect it, and when I heard you were coming here, what can I say? A dream for me!”
“I played with many great players and the only one I missed was Messi! I am proud to evolve with such a good footballer.
“To progress, I will pay attention to how he trains, how he plays. It will grow the team and each of the players that make it up. We speak the same language, in addition, little by little we are getting to know each other.”
Be sure not to miss out on the latest news about Paris Saint-Germain
Download our brand new App and follow your favorite players, clubs, and much more
