Mbappé's Cracking Anecdote: Hakimi's Blank Stare on PSG Arrival Had Everyone in Stitches

Ever had one of those moments where you try to welcome a new mate, only for them to look at you like you've just spoken Martian? That's exactly what happened when Kylian Mbappé first clapped eyes on Achraf Hakimi at Paris Saint-Germain. The pair spilled the beans on a recent podcast, and it's the kind of behind-the-scenes yarn that makes you chuckle over a pint.

Mbappé, now tearing it up at Real Madrid, couldn't resist sharing the tale during their joint appearance. It all kicked off back in 2020 when Hakimi rocked up from Inter Milan, fresh off a Serie A triumph. But there was a teeny problem: the Moroccan speedster, born in Spain, didn't speak a lick of French.

Pochettino Plays Cupid

Enter Mauricio Pochettino, the gaffer at the time, who saw the potential for a dynamic duo. He pulled Mbappé aside and said something along the lines of, 'Lad, Hakimi's your age, you'll hit it off. Sort him out, yeah?' Mbappé, ever the team player, nodded and thought, 'No bother.'

So, picture the scene in the PSG dressing room. Mbappé strolls up, all welcoming vibes: 'Bienvenue à Paris Saint-Germain! How you doing? Anything you need, I'm your man.' Hakimi? He just freezes. Blank stare, zero words. Mbappé reckons he mimicked it perfectly on the podcast – wide eyes, total confusion – and the studio erupted.

The host jumped in, turning to Hakimi: 'Mate, did you get any of that?' Hakimi, grinning like a Cheshire cat, admitted, 'Nada. Not a sausage.' Turns out, our Moroccan full-back was utterly lost in translation. No wonder he looked like a deer in headlights.

From Awkward Start to PSG Bromance

But here's the beauty of football – it transcends language barriers faster than a Messi free-kick. Hakimi quickly settled, forming a lethal partnership down the right with the likes of Ángel Di María and later Ousmane Dembélé. The two became proper mates, terrorising Ligue 1 defences and lighting up the Champions League.

Remember those glory days? PSG hoovered up domestic trophies, with Hakimi's overlapping runs and Mbappé's blistering pace causing havoc. Hakimi even chipped in with goals – eight in his debut season alone. Mbappé, meanwhile, was busy becoming the face of French football, netting hat-tricks for fun.

Fast forward to now, and life's moved on. Mbappé's swapped the Parc des Princes for the Bernabéu, chasing Ballon d'Or dreams amid Real's treble push last term. Hakimi's still holding it down at PSG, bossing the backline under Luis Enrique and dreaming of World Cup redemption with Morocco.

Their podcast chinwag wasn't just nostalgia; it highlighted how footy's a global game. Hakimi's journey – born in Madrid to Moroccan parents, youth days at Real Madrid, spells at Dortmund and Inter, then PSG – is pure football fairy tale. And Mbappé's role? The ultimate ice-breaker, even if it started with a bemused glare.

Why This Story's Pure Gold

In an era of transfer sagas and VAR rows, stories like this remind us why we love the game. It's the human side: lads bonding over shared madness, laughing at mishaps. Mbappé's impression had everyone howling, proving even superstars have their funny bones.

If you're a PSG die-hard, it's a warm fuzzy reminder of those halcyon days. For neutrals, it's just class entertainment. Next time you're bantering with mates about arrivals who flop linguistically – think Zlatan or Ibrahimović's early Ajax days – chuck this one in. Hakimi's silence spoke volumes, but their laughter? That's the real universal language.

As reported by Goal.com, this gem surfaced on Thursday's podcast. Keep your eyes peeled for more from these two – who knows what other PSG secrets they'll unearth?