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- Hakim Arezki, the incredible journey of the blind football champion
- Who is Hakim Arezki, this Kabylie hero turned Paralympic champion?
- Hakim Arezki’s journey before the glory and spotlight of blind football
- Unforgettable feats and the career of a Paralympic champion
- His private life, a choice of discretion amid the spotlight
- Surprising anecdotes and key moments in Hakim Arezki’s destiny
- Current projects and collaborations shaping Hakim Arezki’s future
- Why take an interest in the inspiring story of Hakim Arezki?
- What you might not have known about Hakim Arezki
Hakim Arezki, the incredible journey of the blind football champion
Hakim Arezki, born on March 20, 1983, in Azazga, Algeria, is already a name that evokes an extraordinary journey. At 42 years old, this giant of blind football stands about 1.78 meters tall, a stature he has greatly put at the service of his passion and his sport. Married since 2018, his life is not just about football, but a true rebirth.
Before becoming an iconic figure of French blind football, Hakim went through an absolutely terrible ordeal. Imagine participating in a peaceful demonstration and ending up seriously injured to the point of losing your sight—that is what happened to him in 2001. That infamous Black Spring in Kabylie, where police violence left an indelible mark on his life.
It took a lot of courage after this disaster. Arriving in France in critical condition, he had to relearn many things: reading Braille, regaining a taste for life, and above all, finding in blind football a reason to get back up. A sport unknown to many, but which became for him a true light in the darkness.
The mix of talent, hard work, and determination is what made him a pillar of the French team. Between a silver medal in London in 2012 and a gold medal won in Paris in 2024 in front of 13,000 spectators, his story is a vibrant and moving human adventure.
Who is Hakim Arezki, this Kabylie hero turned Paralympic champion?
You may know him as the indispensable player of the French blind football team, but Hakim Arezki is above all a man born in Kabylie, in Azazga, who grew up in a small village rocked by the music of Lounès Matoub, a poet singing the Berber cause. This gives an idea of the sacred fire that has always driven him.
The injury that cost him his sight, and almost his life, did not break him. On the contrary, it forged an exceptional character. From 2004, he discovered blind football at the Institute for the Blind Youth in Paris. The craziest thing is that before, he played football, but who would have believed he would go this far after such a trauma?
With French naturalization in hand, he committed to a team sport that is not really publicized but extremely demanding. His marriage in 2018 to a discreet woman reflects the stability he has managed to carve out around the chaotic life of the past.
A true symbol of resistance and success, he embodies both the Kabylie of his roots and the France of his future, not forgetting this intimate story where sport offered a second chance as unexpected as it was priceless.
Hakim Arezki’s journey before the glory and spotlight of blind football
I assure you, his early journey is heavy. Imagine an 18-year-old young man, full of hope, taking part in a peaceful march against discrimination in Kabylie in 2001, and who falls victim to bullets during a violent crackdown. Two bullets, one in the head, the other in the ankle, that’s no small matter, believe me.
Nicknamed the Black Spring, this tragic episode almost cost him his life, especially since the medical care in Algeria was far from adequate. His father made the decision that changed his entire life: to come and get him to repatriate him to France where the fight for his survival and rehabilitation began.
His leg narrowly escaped amputation, he underwent about ten surgeries, learned Braille, music, and got familiar with blind football. At first, this sport was just a way to stay active. Ultimately, it was the trigger, the way to reconcile his past and his future.
His sporting commitment began in pioneering clubs like AS Saint-Mandé, then he climbed all the steps until joining the French Team in 2009, never letting go of his key defender position in a sport where emotion and technique blend in every match.
Unforgettable feats and the career of a Paralympic champion
Let’s talk a little about his achievements, which are far from ordinary. Silver medalist at the 2012 London Paralympic Games, he came close. But that was only a temporary setback. In 2024, before thousands of fans gathered at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, Hakim scored the first penalty in the final. Yes, he put France on track to win gold.
Meanwhile, he won two European championship titles, in 2009 and 2022, the latter highlighting his longevity and ability to continually reinvent himself. He is also active in association life, president of the Seine-Saint-Denis Disabled Sports Committee, and an engaged figure promoting blind football.
He is not just a player; he is a true leader, a voice for those sometimes forgotten. His autobiography, “Reborn in the Night”, published in 2025, is an intimate testimony revealing all this incredible strength born of pain and overcoming.
If you want to understand what resilience and victory against all odds mean, follow this link to his exemplary journey. Honestly, it’s inspiring.
His private life, a choice of discretion amid the spotlight
In this turmoil of championships, medals, and commitments, Hakim wanted to keep a certain discretion regarding his private life. We know he got married in 2018, but he jealously protects that side, normal after a life already exposed to so many dramas and struggles.
He now lives in Boulogne-Billancourt and remains very close to his Kabylie roots, which colors everything he does, including his role with the younger generation in disabled sports. A true quiet strength that is gradually revealed through his interviews, poetic and full of meaning.
He once said something that struck me: “France saved me.” It’s not just a sentence; it’s like a declaration—the one from a man who carries within him a double identity, that of a survivor, a fighter, and a champion.
If you want to learn more about this incredible Paralympic champion, his life is truly a unique example of what a human being can accomplish when they never give up.
Surprising anecdotes and key moments in Hakim Arezki’s destiny
Something that struck me is that before becoming a champion in his sport, doctors had clearly told him he would never run again. Well, no, he is still here on the field, defying the odds. It’s a bit the story of a guy who turns his limits into assets.
We often draw a parallel with his love for Lounès Matoub, the engaged Kabyle poet, who has been a constant source of inspiration. Hakim never misses a chance to remind how vital culture and memory are to keeping the course in the storm.
On less known fields, he helped create the Bondy Cécifoot Club, a way to make this sport accessible to more young people. A true sense of sharing and team spirit, while keeping his competitive spirit at its peak.
Do not hesitate to discover his touching testimony on this encounter in Normandy, where he speaks with overwhelming sincerity.
Current projects and collaborations shaping Hakim Arezki’s future
So today? Hakim does not give up. European champion in 2022, Paralympic champion in 2024, he turns his experience into a springboard for the future. He actively promotes blind football among young people and is involved in several disabled sports initiatives in Île-de-France.
He also works with various clubs, like Sporting Paris and Girondins de Bordeaux, to push this sport to greater visibility. All this, with his frankness and boundless energy, proves that one can be a discreet hero and a passionate fighter.
His autobiography published in 2025 is a real source of inspiration, telling his battles and victories. It’s often tough, touching, sometimes funny, but always powerful. An excellent way to dive into his mind and heart.
You can also watch his interviews on RFI or learn more about the French blind football team on France Paralympique. He is a real role model.
Why take an interest in the inspiring story of Hakim Arezki?
What strikes you is the man’s quiet strength. He didn’t just win medals; he transcended a fate that could have broken him. His story reminds us that limits are often in our heads, and that when you have the rage and support, you can achieve the impossible.
He is also the reflection of a proud Kabyle community, of a diverse and welcoming France, where unique journeys are woven. His commitment beyond the fields makes him an ambassador for disabled sports and a defender of essential ideals.
By discovering his life, we touch both the soul of an exceptional athlete and that of a deeply human man who turned darkness into a springboard towards a shining light.
So take the time, really, to dive into his biography and interviews, it’s a gust of energy and hope blowing strongly over the adapted sports world.
What you might not have known about Hakim Arezki
- 🔥 He almost lost a leg in addition to his sight, but got through thanks to incredible persistence.
- ⚽ He discovered blind football by chance at the National Institute for Blind Youth, and it changed his life.
- 🎵 A fan of Kabyle poet Lounès Matoub, whose songs have always been a source of inspiration for him.
- 🏆 Scored the first penalty in the blind football final at the 2024 Paralympic Games, a moment engraved in history.
- 🙌 He deeply contributed to the creation and development of the Bondy Cécifoot Club.
