Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi, a key player in Morocco’s historic run to the semi-finals of the World Cup last year, was charged with rape on Friday. The 24-year-old was questioned by prosecutors on Thursday regarding accusations made by a 24-year-old woman, who has not been publicly identified. Despite the serious allegations, Hakimi trained with his teammates on Friday. A spokesperson for PSG stated that the club “gives its support” to Hakimi and “places its trust in the justice system.”
Hakimi’s lawyer has denied the accusations and expressed a desire to clear his client’s name. The allegations suggest that Hakimi paid for the woman to travel to his home in the Paris suburb of Boulogne-Billancourt last Saturday while his wife and children were away on holiday. The woman reported the incident to the police on Sunday and was subsequently questioned by prosecutors on Wednesday. Although she did not file a formal complaint, prosecutors chose to proceed with charges against Hakimi.
During the World Cup in Qatar, Hakimi was instrumental in Morocco’s historic achievement as the first African or Arab nation to reach the semi-finals. On Monday, he attended the FIFA Best awards ceremony in Paris, where he was named in the FIFPro men’s world team of the year. His lawyer, Fanny Colin, stated that Hakimi “firmly denies all the accusations against him” and claims he is the victim of “an attempted racket.” Colin also noted that Hakimi welcomes the charges as they provide him the opportunity to defend himself. She pointed out that the accuser had “refused to make a formal accusation and refused to have a medical or psychological examination.” In contrast, Rachel-Flore Pardo, the lawyer for the alleged victim, told AFP that her client stands by her statements and has chosen to speak exclusively to prosecutors to protect her safety, not wanting the matter to become a media spectacle.
Under French law, being charged does not automatically lead to a trial. PSG, the reigning French champions, currently sit at the top of Ligue 1 and are set to face Nantes at home on Saturday. Following that, they will travel to Germany to attempt to overturn a 1-0 deficit against Bayern Munich in the last 16 of the Champions League on Wednesday. Although Hakimi has been receiving treatment for a thigh injury, the club indicated he would return to action “next week.” PSG coach Christophe Galtier refrained from commenting on the specifics of the case but expressed hope that Hakimi would be available for the match against Bayern.
The legal proceedings against Hakimi do not restrict his ability to leave France. He developed through the youth system at Real Madrid before joining Borussia Dortmund in 2018, where he made 73 appearances. He later moved to Inter Milan in 2020 and subsequently to PSG in 2021, establishing himself as a vital part of the team and forming a close friendship with star forward Kylian Mbappe. This season, Hakimi has made 31 appearances in all competitions for PSG.
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