Hakimi summoned to court on World Cup match day: Morocco cries conspiracy

Achraf Hakimi learned he was being referred to a French criminal court on rape allegations on Friday, the very day Morocco faced Scotland at the 2026 World Cup, a calendar coincidence that immediately inflamed debate within the Moroccan delegation and in the kingdom’s press.

The Paris Saint-Germain defender played in the match anyway, which the Lions of the Atlas won 1-0, following their 1-1 draw with Brazil on matchday one. Coach Mohamed Ouahbi made a point of showing unambiguous support for his captain. “He played a good match so he was in the right frame of mind, calm. He motivated the group this morning. Achraf Hakimi is important to me, to the team and to the 42 million Moroccans,” he said after the match, even though Hakimi had not delivered one of his best performances.

On the Moroccan side, the judicial timing is seen as deliberate. Amine Raad, journalist at Le Matin daily, expressed bewilderment: “We don’t understand why this is happening today, before a match. For us, he’s the star par excellence, he’s the image of Moroccan football that’s being hit. He’s standing firm, he’s a very well-mannered young man, we love him enormously in Morocco.”

Another Moroccan journalist, who wished to remain anonymous, goes further: “For us, it’s simple, the country considers it a conspiracy. The public sees it as an attack on him.” This source also mentions the case of Dani Alves, the Brazilian player “ultimately acquitted after four years,” to put the proceedings into perspective. According to them, Morocco is simply paying “the price of success.”

In the Moroccan press, the matter is treated with striking discretion. “In the newspapers, we don’t talk about it, it’s not a topic,” confirms the same source, noting that Hakimi himself posted a message on social media saying he would be “very happy to be able to give his version of events.”

The rape allegation dates back to 2023. The judicial process is ongoing in France, independent of the World Cup. Hakimi, meanwhile, continues to play, buoyed by the support of his coach and an entire nation.