Paris, France (CNN) — The French judicial authorities have opened an investigation into a rape case involving suspected Moroccan soccer player Achraf Hakimi, a source close to the investigation confirmed to CNN on Tuesday.
The source added that the prosecutor’s office in Nanterre, just outside Paris, is leading the investigation.
Hakimi was born in Spain, plays as a defender for Paris Saint-Germain and the Moroccan national team, and scored the penalty kick that brought Morocco to the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup Qatar, once morest Spain.
“The Nanterre Prosecutor’s Office does not wish to comment on this ongoing investigation, because the information already published endangers the necessary investigations,” the prosecutor’s office told CNN.
CNN tried to contact Hakimi and Paris Saint-Germain for comment
Hakimi, considered one of the best defenders in the world, joined PSG from Inter Milan in 2021, and now plays alongside stars like Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe.
And due to his impressive performances at club and international level last year, the 24-year-old was named among the 11 best players at FIFA’s annual awards ceremony in Paris on Monday.
