Monumental Pressure

Monumental Pressure

​The date is December 6, 2022, at the Education City Stadium in Qatar. Morocco faces Spain in the Round of 16. After 120 minutes of intense battle (0-0), a penalty shootout must decide the winner.

​Spain has missed their first three attempts. Achraf Hakimi steps up for Morocco’s fourth shot. If he scores, Morocco makes history by becoming the first Arab nation to reach a World Cup quarter-final.

​The Move: The Audacious Panenka

​While millions of fans hold their breath, Hakimi displays almost surreal composure.

• ​The Technique: Instead of striking with power, he delicately chips the ball with surgical precision, lobbing it softly into the center of the goal as goalkeeper Unai Simón dives to his right.

• ​The Risk: Executing a Panenka in such a moment is the height of audacity. If it fails, the player is ridiculed; if it succeeds, they become a legend.

​The Symbolism: The "Penguin" from Madrid

​After hitting the back of the net, Hakimi celebrated by mimicking a penguin, a dance he shared with his then-PSG teammate Sergio Ramos (who had not been selected for the Spanish squad).

​This celebration was loaded with irony and pride: Hakimi, born in Madrid and trained at Real Madrid, had just eliminated the country where he grew up to lift his Moroccan roots to the summit.

​Why is this specific goal historic?

1. ​Africa's Ascent: It propelled Morocco toward a historic semi-final, shattering the "glass ceiling" for the African continent.

2. ​Leadership: Hakimi proved he is one of the best full-backs in the world, capable of shouldering immense responsibility.

3. ​Aesthetics: The slow, curved trajectory of the ball stood in stark contrast to the chaos and stress of the match.