Morocco’s hopes for a second Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title received a massive lift this week after captain Achraf Hakimi was spotted in Rabat without his surgical walking boot.
The 27-year-old PSG star has been sidelined since November with a serious ankle injury sustained in the Champions League.
While he was seen struggling to walk just last month, his recent appearance in casual sneakers suggests his rehabilitation is ahead of schedule.
He sustained a badly sprained left ankle following a red-card tackle by Luis Diaz during PSG vs. Bayern Munich.
He is currently training with personal PSG medical staff in Morocco; he is expected to begin light pitch work later this week.
Coach Walid Regragui may rest Hakimi for the group stage matches against Comoros, Mali, and Zambia to ensure he is fit for the knockout rounds starting January 3.
Morocco enters the tournament as favorites, riding a world-record 18-match winning streak.
However, the Atlas Lions haven’t won AFCON since 1976. Having their star right-back fit for the later stages is seen as critical to ending that 49-year drought on home soil.
