Hakimi thanks Mexican fans after Morocco's historic World Cup upset

Achraf Hakimi thanked Mexican fans after Morocco’s 3-2 penalty shootout win over the Netherlands at Monterrey Stadium sent the Atlas Lions into the World Cup round of 16. The result came after a 1-1 draw in regulation and gave Morocco another signature result in a major tournament, with Hakimi again at the center of the team’s most visible moments.

The match followed a tense script. Cody Gakpo put the Netherlands ahead in the 72nd minute, and Morocco had to wait until the 90+1 minute for Issa to level the score and force penalties. FIFA described the night as dramatic and emotional, a fitting frame for a game that shifted from Dutch control to Moroccan resilience in the final minutes before the shootout decided it.

Hakimi’s acknowledgement of Mexican supporters underscored how quickly World Cup allegiances can move inside a host city. In Monterrey, the crowd atmosphere helped turn Morocco into a neutral favorite for many fans, especially as the team leaned into the role of an underdog pushing deeper into the bracket. Morocco’s progress carried extra weight because the squad has continued to build on its place among the tournament’s most compelling sides, with each result adding to a broader sense that the team is making history again rather than merely advancing.

That wider profile has been reinforced by Hakimi’s status within the national setup. FIFA included the defender in Morocco’s 2026 World Cup squad, and on 26 May 2026, Morocco announced its 26-man roster for the tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States under head coach Mohamed Ouahbi. Hakimi remains one of the team’s central figures, a player tied both to the run that stunned the Netherlands and to the expectations surrounding Morocco’s next campaign.

For Morocco, the win in Monterrey was more than a penalty shootout success. It extended the team’s run as a force that can absorb pressure, survive long stretches without control and still find a way through. The reaction from Mexican fans gave the moment a local pulse, but the result belonged to a side that kept its composure when the match was on the edge.