The Inter Milan star's progression has made him arguably the best player in his position on the continent…placing him levels above the Ivorian
When Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur faced off in the Champions League group stage in 2017/18, the game included an intriguing African subplot.
Before a ball was kicked, the head-to-head between right-backs Achraf Hakimi and Serge Aurier had got people talking, although perhaps few could have accurately predicted that it would be a meeting between Africa's best right-back and the man who would take that mantle.
Featuring for Los Blancos was a 17-year-old Hakimi, less than a month before his 18th birthday, while Aurier turned out for the visitors.