Teams : Injury Scare Looms

When Achraf Hakimi ascended to receive his 2025 Ballon d’Or award using a walking aid, the pressing question was whether he would be fit to compete in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations that was by then, barely a month away. Many wondered how the tournament would unfold without the continent’s best player. Hakimi suffered a serious ankle injury in early November during Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League clash against Bayern Munich. A club post on December 2, 2025, confirmed that he is continuing his rehabilitation. Head coach Walid Regragui has repeatedly emphasized that Hakimi’s inclusion in Morocco’s AFCON squad is “non-negotiable,” seeing him as vital to the Atlas Lions’ title ambitions. The key question remains whether he will be match-ready for the opening game or join the competition later. Coach Regragui will have to make the right choices for the good of his team. 
Away from Morocco, in Cameroon, the Indomitable Lions face a significant blow as ace midfielder André-Frank Zambo Anguissa will miss out due to injury. Before his setback, Zambo Anguissa was in top form for his Italian club Napoli, even earning the Serie A Player of the Month award. However, injury forced him out of Coach David Pagou’s 28-man AFCON squad. One of the m...