Former Real Madrid player and Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi has continued to deny the allegations that arose from the 2023 complaint.
Moroccan soccer star Achraf Hakimi will face trial in France on a rape charge he denies after an appeals court agreed to send the case to a criminal court, media reported Friday.
Hakimi, 27, a Paris Saint-Germain defender and former Real Madrid player, is currently with Morocco at the World Cup, where the team will face Scotland in a Group C match later on Friday.
The case stems from a complaint filed by a 24-year-old woman who told police in February 2023 that Hakimi raped her at her home outside Paris. French prosecutors opened an investigation the following month, and the judge investigating the case ordered a trial in February this year.
The judge appealed against the appeal order, but the Court of Appeal of Versailles rejected his challenge, opening the way for criminal trials. The Moroccan National Team player has maintained his innocence throughout the trial.
Ahead of Friday’s match, Hakimi said on X that he welcomes the prospect of testing.
“I’ve been waiting for this case since day one. And now I’m looking forward to it. Finally, I’ll be able to speak,” he wrote.
The judge said he believed in the justice system and claimed that the case would not have come to court if he had not come “famous.” He added that the claims have come at the expense of “my family, my life and, above all, the truth.”
The lawyer representing the plaintiff welcomed the appeal court’s decision.
“After more than three years of legal proceedings, this decision brings him relief and hope,” Rachel-Flore Pardo said in a statement.
Morocco play all three of their group stage matches in the United States. If they qualify for the knockout rounds, however, Hakimi may face travel issues if the matches are played in Canada or Mexico.
Last week, Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey missed his country’s World Cup opener against Panama after being denied entry to Canada. Partey, who denies rape and sexual assault charges in the UK, is expected to stand trial next year.
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