Achraf Hakimi will appeal a ruling in his rape trial, confirmed by an appeals court on June 19th.
What happened?
The Moroccan national team captain and Paris Saint-Germain player has been accused of raping a woman in 2023.
The woman, then 24, claimed she met Hakimi on Instagram and went to his home, where he allegedly kissed her, touched her without consent, and then raped her.
Why it matters for Achraf Hakimi
Hakimi has repeatedly denied the allegations, and his lawyer declined to comment on the appeal to the Court of Cassation.
On June 19th, Hakimi wrote on X that he had been "waiting for this trial since day one."
What comes next?
The case will be heard in the French Court of Cassation, the highest court in the French judicial system for civil and criminal matters.
The plaintiff's lawyer, Rachel-Flore Pardo, said "every decision handed down in this case has been in favour of the claimant" and that she will "fight to the very end to obtain justice."
Hakimi was captaining the Moroccan team in the 2026 World Cup when the appeals court confirmed he would stand trial.
The Versailles Court of Appeal delivered its ruling shortly before Hakimi's statement on X.
In February 2023, the woman reported the alleged rape to police in the Val-de-Marne region southeast of Paris.
A police source said at the time that the woman claimed Hakimi had ordered a taxi to take her to his home.
The plaintiff's lawyer has stated that she will continue to pursue justice in the case.
Achraf Hakimi's appeal will be heard in the Court of Cassation, with no date confirmed yet.