Morocco coach backs 'relaxed' Hakimi after rape trial ruling overshadows World Cup win over Scotland

Morocco manager Mohamed Ouahbi insisted his squad are “behind” captain Achraf Hakimi after a French appeals court confirmed the Paris Saint-Germain defender will stand trial for rape, a ruling that landed hours before Morocco’s 1-0 World Cup victory over Scotland in Boston.

Hakimi, who denies any wrongdoing, was booed by sections of the Scotland support throughout the match. He responded by rallying the Morocco fans during several corners, and delivered what his coach described as an “extraordinary” performance.

“He woke up in the morning, ate like everybody, he was focused, he played with everybody, he wanted to play strongly and that’s what he did,” Ouahbi said. “We’re behind him, he’s very relaxed and hopefully he’s going to show he’s the best wingback in the world.”

The Versailles appeals court ruled that sufficient evidence had been gathered during the judicial investigation to recommend Hakimi face a formal trial. A 24-year-old woman has alleged she was raped by Hakimi at his home in a Paris suburb, a claim that first led to preliminary charges against the player in March 2023. Hakimi had appealed an earlier decision by an investigative judge in February.

Rachel-Flore Pardo, the lawyer representing the plaintiff, said her client felt “a sense of relief and hope” after more than three years of legal proceedings, while criticising Hakimi’s defence team for what she described as her client being “defamed and dragged through the mud.”

Hakimi broke his public silence on Friday in a social media post, writing: “Justice looked me in the eyes and said to me: ‘If you weren’t famous, there never would have been a case.’ I chose to remain silent for years. I thought that staying dignified, being patient, and trusting the justice system would allow the right decisions to be made.”

He added that he had “been awaiting the trial since day one” and said he now awaited it “impatiently”, stating: “At last, I will be able to speak.”

Ouahbi declined to engage further with questions about how the situation had been managed, saying: “He did a good job, why talk about management?” The coach stressed the backing of “the 44 million Moroccans” following the national team as context for the squad’s unified stance around their captain.