According to a report by Fabrizio Romano on Sunday November 1, 2026, A Moroccan journalist who was a juror for the 2026 Ballon d'Or has come clean about being approached by people who tried to sway his vote and make him doubt Achraf Hakimi's candidacy.

The information was revealed in an interview with Africafoot by Mostafa Badri, who represented Morocco during the voting process. His story goes like this: right up until the official voting deadline, some people tried to get in touch with him and convince him to vote against the Paris Saint-Germain defender and for another footballer.

Badri clarified that he stood firm on his original decision and was unmoved by the purported pressure. They wanted him to back a certain player, but he opted not to say who it was.

The incident, according to the Moroccan journalist, also showed how efforts to influence individual votes can happen at major football award shows.

Achraf Hakimi, Kylian Mbappé, and the youngster from Barcelona, Lamine Yamal, were Badri's official voting choices.

Pride in his country also played a role in his decision to give Hakimi the highest possible vote. The fact that Badri is Moroccan unabashedly influenced his support for the PSG star, as he freely acknowledged.

He clarified that his decision was not driven by Hakimi's nationality alone, but rather by his genuine belief that Hakimi deserved the award for his outstanding performances throughout the year.

This new information has ratcheted up the debate over who will win the 2026 Ballon d'Or, with many people wondering how impartial the journalists who are ultimately responsible for choosing the winners really are.

Hakimi is a major player in the discussion around the prestigious individual award because of his consistent attention-grabbing performances on both the club and international levels.

His remarks have prompted inquiries regarding the potential pressure that football award jurors may experience prior to casting their final votes, even though Badri has refrained from naming the individuals who allegedly approached him or the player they desired him to endorse.

At this point, his story is just that—an allegation—and nothing more has been said to clarify who was trying to sway his decision.