Hakimi asked to withdraw interview comments amid ongoing case
Moroccan international and star PSG right back Achraf Hakimi, has reportedly been urged to retract his Ballon d’or comments amid the ongoing controversy over rape charges against him.
According to Hespress, on August 11th, Hakimi appeared in an interview with French broadcaster Canal+, where he expressed that his performances over the past season, make him worthy of winning the Ballon d’or.
“I think I deserve the Ballon d’or, especially when you look at my numbers,” he said. “Very few defenders can match these statistics, and if forwards are crowned for such figures, why not a defender?”
The source claims these comments agitated PSG’s management, so much so they asked Hakimi to remove any mention of the Ballon d’or from the interview, he reportedly denied the request.
There is no doubt Hakimi had an outstanding season, with a record breaking 27 goal contributions in a treble winning campaign for PSG. However, off the pitch, Hakimi has been deep at the centre of controversy dating back to 2023.
As Maghrebi reported, Hakimi has been charged with the rape of a 24-year-old woman and now faces the long-awaited trial.
The assault allegedly took place on February 25, 2023, Hakimi invited the woman to his residence in Paris while his wife and children were absent, and made non-consensual sexual acts on her, including rape. The woman went to the police a day after to report the incident.
Shortly after the situation went public, Hakimi entered more legal turbulence, with his wife filing for divorce and half of his $70 million net worth. However, because no assets of his are under his name, the court settled that Hakimi was eligible for half of his ex-wife’s net worth instead.
He was officially charged for the rape in March 2023 but the case has only been moved to a criminal court to begin the trial on August 1st, 2025. A very common occurrence in high profile cases related to sexual crime.
Hakimi continues to deny all allegations.
Hespress, Maghrebi.org
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