International Moroccan football star Achraf Hakimi recently captured attention off the pitch when he defended a Mexican journalist during a press conference held before his national team’s match against Brazil. The incident unfolded as the journalist posed a question in Spanish, a language not recognized by the official simultaneous translation system at the event, as noted by Argentine news outlet Infobae. Hakimi's willingness to engage with the journalist in Spanish, showcasing both flexibility and eagerness, led to a wave of admiration and praise from fans and observers alike.
The situation escalated when a FIFA representative intervened, attempting to halt the journalist's inquiry. However, Hakimi promptly clarified that he understood Spanish perfectly and had no issue communicating with the Mexican reporter. This noble act quickly went viral on social media, highlighting Hakimi's commitment to fostering an inclusive dialogue.
During the press conference, as Hakimi prepared to answer the journalist's question, FIFA officials reminded those present that inquiries should be made in the officially sanctioned languages—English, Portuguese, Italian, Arabic, and French—to facilitate the work of the translators in attendance. This directive raised eyebrows among the other journalists, especially considering that Spanish is one of the most commonly spoken languages at the 2026 World Cup, particularly in light of Mexico being one of the host nations.
In a surprising turn, while discussions about the protocol continued, Hakimi once again reaffirmed his understanding of the question, effectively bridging the communication gap. Social media users lauded Hakimi's efforts to ease the interaction with the journalist rather than dismissing the question due to language barriers.
Spanish publication El Periódico pointed out that FIFA's protocol for press conferences mandates that questions be posed in the native languages of the competing countries, with English serving as the fallback language if the journalists do not master the relevant languages.
Similar Situation for Vinicius
A comparable incident occurred with Brazilian star Vinicius Junior, who faced a Spanish journalist asking a question in English. Vinicius interrupted, requesting that the journalist speak in Spanish. The journalist responded, "I don’t think I can do that," and continued with the question in English. Vinicius listened to the translation and replied in Portuguese. Such awkward situations have sparked widespread criticism regarding FIFA's protocols, as they fail to acknowledge that Spanish is an official language of one of the tournament's host nations, while also being spoken by approximately 57 million people in the United States.
As reported by aljazeera.net.
