RABAT, Morocco (AP) — Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi has recovered from an ankle injury in time for the Africa Cup of Nations, both the player and coach Walid Regragui said Saturday before the team’s opening game.
The current African Footballer of the Year is unlikely to start Sunday’s tournament-opener against tiny Comoros, but Regragui said Hakimi could play if needed.
“He sacrificed himself for the past four or five weeks like no one else could have for his country. For that alone, he was an example for the players and the staff,” Regragui said. “We can say that the protocol we put in place immediately after his injury has been more than positive.”
Hakimi was injured in a reckless tackle from Bayern Munich forward Luis Díaz while he was playing for Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League in November. Díaz, who was sent off for the challenge, later wished Hakimi “a quick return.”
Hakimi was named in Morocco’s squad despite not playing any games since then. Though the team boasts many talented players such as Noussair Mazraoui, Eliesse Ben Seghir, and Brahim Díaz, few have the experience that Hakimi brings after winning the Champions League with PSG in May.
“We’ll see about him starting tomorrow, how we protect him, and how things go with the upcoming games in the competition. I’ll make my decision tomorrow,” Regragui said. “His injury wasn’t straightforward. He made tough decisions for his country, and for that, as a coach, and of course as a Moroccan, I want to thank him in front of everyone. He’s a true example. Tomorrow you’ll see if he starts or not, but he can start, or he might not.”
Hakimi said he felt “good” but the team was more important than his own condition.
Morocco, the champion in 1976, is under immense pressure to win what would be just its second Africa Cup title. Expectations have risen since the team became the first African side to reach the World Cup semifinals in 2022.
The country, which will be a World Cup co-host in 2030, has invested heavily in stadiums, training facilities and infrastructure in a bid to become a soccer power. The drive has been overseen by FIFA Council member Fouzi Lekjaa, the president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation who is also a government finance minister ultimately answerable to the country’s king, Mohammed VI.
A portrait of Mohammed VI flanked Saturday’s press conference, as if to remind Regragui and Hakimi for whom they are working. Another Africa Cup disappointment — Hakimi missed a late penalty as Morocco was eliminated by South Africa in the round of 16 at the last edition — could cost Regragui his job just months before the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
“We’re focused on the present because we have to win,” Regragui said. “We’re also preparing for the future, because there’s 2026 and there’s also 2030, and that way they’ll be able to have a top-notch team in 2030 with a wealth of experience. That’s the objective I have. I’m working for myself, but I’m also working for the future of Morocco.”
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FILE - Morocco's Achraf Hakimi celebrates scoring his side's third goal during the quarterfinal men's soccer match between Morocco and the United States at the Parc des Princes during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard, File)
WASHINGTON (AP) — It’s not unusual for a 20-something to text Mom in a panic from the doctor’s office, seeking help answering a question. And patients of any age can struggle to recall all their medicines — or forget to mention a concern.
Getting the most out of a doctor’s visit requires some advance preparation. Even the professionals plan ahead.
“It is really hard — even for me as a doctor going to see my own family doctor — to remember the things that I wanted to bring up,” said Dr. Sarah Nosal, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians. “The worst is when you’ve had that moment with your doctor” only to recall another problem after walking out, she said. “You’ve lost that time.”
Her top tip: Bring a list of symptoms and questions to show at the start of the visit. The first item should be your top concern, but seeing the full list helps your doctor prioritize what’s most medically urgent.
“I’m actually going to be able to see, is there a red flag?” explained Nosal, who has some advice about prepping for a typical primary care visit.
Some illnesses require specialists like a cardiologist or rheumatologist. But regardless of your age or how healthy you are, research has long shown that a relationship with a primary care provider is important for overall health. It might be a family physician like Nosal, who cares for all ages, or an internist. Some patients choose gynecologists, geriatricians, or have a primary care team that includes nurse practitioners or physician assistants.
Primary care is more than preventive checkups to help avoid illness, such as vaccinations, cancer screenings or health advice. It also includes detecting and treating common problems like high blood pressure, and helping to find and coordinate specialty care.
“That ongoing relationship also helps me know your ‘normal,’” Nosal explained. “If something’s different or changes or you feel off, when you tell me that information and I also have known you over time, we can really figure out together what’s going on.”
Young adults navigating health care on their own for the first time may need help filling out forms with their personal medical history. Have you ever had general anesthesia? Is your tetanus shot up to date?
If you still have access to the patient portal at your former pediatrician’s office, you can see records of vaccinations and prior illnesses, or you may have to request them or quiz parents.
For all ages, family medical history is critical — and needs regular updating. Ask what diseases your close relatives have had and how they fared. For example, if Type 2 diabetes runs in the family, or Grandma had a stroke, or someone had cancer at a young age, that information could help tailor your preventive care, Nosal said.
Filling out paperwork from home makes it easier to check medicine bottles for the name and dose. Include both prescription and over-the-counter medicines, pills or creams — and don’t forget vitamins and supplements.
Why are the latter important? Some can interact with prescription medicines. Nosal cited some patients whose longtime treatments quit working after they started taking turmeric, a spice also sold as a supplement.
Also before your visit, check if the doctor received records of recent lab tests, hospitalizations or visits to other health providers, since electronic medical records aren’t always automatically shared.
Some symptoms are bad enough to prompt an urgent visit. But if you’ve got a checkup coming, whether it’s routine or to follow up on health problems, start a list of questions in advance.
Notice a pain when you move a certain way? Or chatting with a friend who just got a colonoscopy and wonder if you’re due? Pop those on your list right away, before you forget — and be specific in describing symptoms.
Nosal keeps a running list on her phone and, ahead of visits with her own doctor, sends it as a heads-up through her patient portal. Patients also can include their list on visit check-in forms.
The idea is to address the most urgent questions first, rather than patients running out of time before raising a key concern. Nosal said questions about mental or sexual health and wellness especially tend to come up at the last minute.
Whatever the medium, “please bring that list,” she said. “That’s the most critical of all pieces.”
People may know to ask questions about treatments, such as how well they work and what side effects to expect. But it’s also important to understand why a doctor makes a particular diagnosis or, conversely, isn’t as worried about a symptom as you might be.
Don’t hesitate to say, “Explain to me what else could be going on,” Nosal advised. “What would be the next step? How would you evaluate that for me, to know if it’s this or that?”
Most health advocacy groups also advise bringing along a friend or relative, especially if you have serious or multiple health problems. They can help ask questions and take notes.
“Whether you are 20 or you are 85, you will not remember everything from your medical visit,” Nosal said.
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
FILE - An exam room at a medical clinic in Detroit on July 29, 2015. (Charles V. Tines/Detroit News via AP, File)
