Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappé has landed in Rabat, Morocco, with his family to support longtime friend and former Paris Saint-Germain teammate Achraf Hakimi during the Africa Cup of Nations.
The French forward arrived on 25 December 2025, accompanied by his parents and younger brother Ethan, taking advantage of a brief holiday break before resuming club training on 29 December. According to French outlet L’Équipe and multiple Moroccan sources, Mbappé accepted a personal invitation from Hakimi to attend Friday’s Group A clash between hosts Morocco and Mali at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.
The pair forged a strong bond during their three seasons together at PSG from 2021 to 2024, often seen celebrating on the pitch and sharing off-field moments that transcended club rivalries—even during the 2022 World Cup semi-final when France eliminated Morocco. Hakimi, recently recovered from an ankle injury sustained in November, is expected to feature prominently as Morocco aim to build on their opening 2-0 victory over Comoros.
Reports also suggest PSG winger Ousmane Dembélé, another close associate of Hakimi and the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner, may join in the stands for a Morocco match, further highlighting the Atlas Lions captain’s connections in European football.
Morocco currently top Group A with three points, following Mali’s 1-1 draw with Zambia. A positive result against Mali would edge the hosts closer to the knockout stage in a tournament they are favoured to win on home soil—their first AFCON title since 1976.
