Morocco considers 3-5-2 formation to unleash Hakimi as wing-back against Niger

Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi is considering changing the team’s tactical system for the next two matches against Niger in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, according to Moroccan outlet Le360.ma. A switch to a 3-5-2 formation is being studied, with the notable effect of repositioning captain Achraf Hakimi as a right wing-back.

In the current 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 setup, Hakimi operates as a conventional right-back with the national team, a position he masters but which forces him to manage his attacking runs. With a three-man defence, he would benefit from the cover of an additional centre-back and could push forward freely down the entire flank, with the attacking midfielder repositioning into a more central lane to give him space.

This wing-back role is not unfamiliar to the Paris Saint-Germain player. It was precisely in this capacity that he had one of his best seasons under Antonio Conte at Inter Milan, before his transfer to PSG. With the Parisian club, Hakimi enjoys even greater freedom of movement, regularly finding himself in different areas of the pitch, something the national team’s tactical framework does not always allow him to replicate.

The system change would therefore respond to a dual logic: optimizing the offensive contribution of the Moroccan captain while strengthening defensive solidity against Niger, whom Morocco must beat to consolidate their position at the top of their qualifying group.