Morocco captain in the World Cup, Achraf Hakimi will be tried on rape charges in France

Achraf Hakimi, football player for PSG and the Moroccan national team, during a game in January 2026.
Franck Fife/AFP
The Moroccan player Achraf Hakimi will appear in court on charges of rape, in a "judicial victory" for the complainant and an opportunity for the captain of the Moroccan national team to present his version of the events, the French court confirmed this Friday (19).
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In February 2023, a young woman reported that the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) player had raped her, an accusation that the athlete always classified as "false".
In February of this year, the Court ordered her to be sent to trial, a decision contested by Hakimi. However, the Versailles Court of Appeal confirmed this Friday (19) the measure, considering that the investigation concluded that "there is sufficient evidence".
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The announcement comes as the star of the 'Atlas Lions' prepares to play the second match of the Moroccan team in the North American World Cup against Scotland.
Despite the seriousness of the accusations, Hakimi, born in Madrid 27 years ago years, he does not seem worried and remains focused on his career, on his third appearance in a World Cup with the Morocco national team.
Although the date of the trial, scheduled to take place before a criminal court in the Paris region, has not yet been announced, Hakimi stated shortly after the announcement that he is awaiting it "impatiently". "I will finally be able to speak," he wrote on social media.
"I chose to remain silent for years. I thought that maintaining my dignity, being patient and trusting in justice would allow the right decisions to be made," the player added. His lawyer, Fanny Colin, stressed that being sent to trial does not mean that he "is guilty".
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Long road
The complainant's lawyer, Rachel-Flore Pardo, celebrated, in turn, a "judicial victory", which brings "relief and hope" to her client, "after more than three years of legal battle, after having been slandered and dragged through the mud by the defense".
The young woman reported having met Achraf Hakimi in January 2023 on the social network Instagram and going to the player's house in an app-based transport vehicle requested by him, according to a police source at the time of the events.
According to his report, Hakimi kissed and touched her without consent before raping her. She then allegedly managed to push him away and sent a message to a friend, who went to pick her up.
Achraf Hakimi was indicted and placed under judicial control a few days later, in March 2023.
His lawyer, who did not confirm whether he will appeal the decision to the Court of Cassation, denounced "class justice in reverse". According to her, the investigation was only opened because a police report was leaked to the press, since Hakimi "is a public figure".
For the complainant, however, the leak of her statement to the newspaper Le Parisien constituted "the biggest trauma of her life".
In her first press interview, given on Thursday (18) to the investigation website Mediapart, Jeanne (pseudonym) stated that she wants "a trial to defend herself, to be heard".
"I want that believe me", he added.
"It is not pleasant for my client to see someone who she accuses of rape being applauded and applauded", said her lawyer, for whom "there is still a long way to go in the fight against sexual violence in men's football".
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Source: G1