Mbappe ‘investigated for rape’ in Sweden: report

AFP | Paris, France

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Kylian Mbappe is being investigated for rape by Swedish police, according to a newspaper report in Sweden following a visit by the Real Madrid star to Stockholm, which Mbappe denounced as “fake news”.

After Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet reported that an alleged rape had been reported to police but did not say who was accused, Expressen newspaper said 25-year-old Mbappe was the suspect.

“According to information obtained by Expressen, police are investigating the star who is reasonably suspected of rape and sexual assault,” the newspaper wrote.

Swedish law enforcement differentiate the level of suspicion as either reasonable or probable, with reasonable being the lower degree of suspicion.

Mbappe’s entourage, when contacted by AFP, said it had no knowledge of a legal complaint made against him.

The French international was not selected for his country’s latest round of Nations League matches, so visited the Swedish capital with a group of people last Thursday. They dined at a restaurant before going to a nightclub, according to the Aftonbladet report. Mbappe and the group left Sweden on Friday.

The newspaper said a rape was committed “in Stockholm city centre”, citing a formal complaint made to police on Saturday that it had seen.

Aftonbladet said the complaint was filed after the alleged victim had sought medical attention but did not say who was named in the accusation. Later, Expressen reported that Mbappe was the suspect.

Mbappe himself claimed in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, that there was a link between the Aftonbladet report and his hearing before a French league committee on Tuesday in his bitter dispute with his former club Paris Saint-Germain over what he says are unpaid wages.

Mbappe claims he is owed 55 million euros ($60 million) by the Qatari-owned French champions. “FAKE NEWS !!!!. It’s becoming so predictable, on the eve of the hearing, as if by chance,” Mbappe posted.

A prosecutor investigating the accusation told AFP: “A probe is under way into a crime that was reported on October 10 in the centre of Stockholm.” Stellar career Mbappe joined Madrid this summer after seven years at PSG and has up until now stayed clear of scandal in his private life.

The forward, who is known for carefully managing his image through a close network of family, lawyers and spokespeople, has become one of the world’s highest paid players after a stellar career that began when he was barely into his teens.

A 19-year-old Mbappe joined Pele as the only teenager to score in a World Cup final when France beat Croatia 4-2 to win the 2018 edition and he was voted Best Young Player of the tournament.

Four years later in Qatar, he scored a hat-trick in the final against Argentina but finished on the losing side as Lionel Messi’s side won in a penalty shootout.