Hakimi’s ‘Brazilians of Africa’ Claim Reignites AFCON Towel Controversy Ahead of Morocco vs Brazil World Cup Opener

Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi ignited a social media firestorm on June 12, 2026, after stating that Morocco carry the nickname the “Brazilians of Africa” — a claim that was met with immediate and widespread scepticism from football supporters across the continent.

The 27-year-old, who is the reigning CAF Player of the Year and captain of the Atlas Lions, made the remarks while addressing the media ahead of Morocco’s Group C opener against Brazil at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. “We know the opponent we are facing tomorrow, we know their quality and the players they have. But we also have quality,” Hakimi said. “People call us the ‘Brazil of Africa’ and we have players with great abilities.”

Rather than landing as a confident pre-match statement, the comments triggered an immediate backlash. Responses flooded in from fans questioning the origins of the nickname, with one of the most widely shared posts reading simply: “HE IS A LIAR‼️” Another user, Samuel Vaslin, wrote on X: “I’ve lived half my life on the continent and I’ve NEVER heard anyone say that.” A third account added: “This is my first time hearing this.”

However, it was one particular response — translated from Arabic — that gained the most significant traction. A user posting under the handle @M1Keeper wrote: “Liar, no one said that about you 😂 We call you the towel thieves.” The comment was a direct reference to a controversy that has shadowed Morocco since the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations semi-final against Nigeria.

During the penalty shootout of that match, Moroccan players and staff were accused by critics of attempting to disrupt Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali‘s concentration by interfering with his preparation materials, including his towels. Video footage of the incident spread rapidly online at the time and became one of the most discussed moments of the tournament. According to reports, similar scenes reportedly played out again during the AFCON final against Senegal, when Hakimi himself was accused of attempting to remove goalkeeper Édouard Mendy’s towel — though Senegal’s second-choice goalkeeper reportedly refused to allow it.

The controversy surrounding that final extended well beyond the touchline. Although Senegal initially won the match on the pitch, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) subsequently overturned the result following a successful appeal from Morocco and awarded the title to the Atlas Lions via a 3-0 forfeit ruling. The decision remains one of the most divisive outcomes in recent African football history, drawing widespread criticism from supporters across multiple nations.

It is within that backdrop that Hakimi’s latest comments were received — not as a footballing compliment, but as a prompt to revisit unresolved grievances. The timing, coming just hours before Morocco’s highly anticipated World Cup clash with the nation whose nickname they were claiming, only amplified the reaction.

Morocco and Brazil meet in their Group C opener at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Saturday, June 13, 2026. Five-time World Cup champions Brazil begin what is widely regarded as a new era under manager Carlo Ancelotti, who takes charge of the Seleção at a World Cup for the first time. Morocco, who reached the semi-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar — becoming the first African nation to do so — will be looking to build on that historic run on home soil across North America.