Achraf Hakimi went into Morocco’s game against Scotland after a French appeals court confirmed he should stand trial. He still played 96 minutes in Morocco’s 1-0 win at the World Cup on 2026-1-0, but the football was only part of the story. Scotland fans booed him on each touch, and Morocco made their support public straight away.

Morocco made their position clear

Mohamed Ouahbi did not sound interested in leaving any room for doubt. “Hakimi was extraordinary so we're very relaxed,” he said. “We don't have to say anything -- we're behind him.” He also said the squad were behind their captain, and framed it as something that mattered for the players and the 44 million Moroccans following the team.

That response matters because it came after a difficult day for Hakimi off the pitch. The Versailles appeals court stated that he should be formally charged with rape, and the court confirmation came hours before Morocco played Scotland. Morocco’s public backing was immediate, and Ouahbi was not hiding behind cautious language.

Hakimi’s own words were even more direct. “I sometimes get the feeling that I have become an easy target,” he said. “I have been awaiting the trial since day one. And I await it now impatiently. At last, I will be able to speak.”

The football did not disappear

The crowd reaction was hostile throughout, but Hakimi still finished the match and contributed to Morocco’s win. He was booed by members of the Tartan Army during each touch of the ball, yet he completed the full 96 minutes and did enough to keep Morocco in control of the game.

His numbers were not flashy, but they were steady. Hakimi had a 6.6 rating, took 2 shots and made 1 key pass. He also won 3 of 7 duels, which is a respectable return in a game where the noise around him was never going away.

Morocco’s result also gave the night a football edge that could not be ignored. They are top of Group C with 4 points from 2 games, so the win over Scotland mattered beyond the wider reaction around Hakimi.

The legal process is still unresolved, and no trial date has been announced. What happened in Glasgow was simpler: Morocco backed their captain, Hakimi kept playing, and the next step now belongs in court rather than on the pitch.

Compiled by the ClutchBrief Desk with AI assistance, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →