Paris – The silence is deafening. As Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi braces for a possible criminal trial over rape allegations, football’s biggest voices remain quiet. All but one.
Kylian Mbappé, Hakimi’s close friend and teammate, has broken ranks – offering a rare show of public support in a game that prefers to wait until the dust settles.
“I’ve never seen Hakimi behave inappropriately with women,” Mbappé told L’Équipe. “Even when drunk. We are not savages.”
Those words come at a tense moment. Last week, French prosecutors announced they would move to send Hakimi’s case to court. If convicted, the Moroccan international could face up to 15 years in prison.
But a twist has emerged -one that threatens to upend the narrative.
Leaked WhatsApp messages between the accuser and a friend, reported by India Times and Kbizoom, suggest a calculated effort to seduce the footballer. In one exchange, the woman allegedly discussed her plan before the encounter. Afterward, she reportedly hinted at exploiting it.
While the full content of the messages hasn’t been released, their existence is already reshaping the legal conversation. Hakimi’s lawyers have filed a countersuit, accusing the woman of attempted extortion.
They called the prosecution’s push for trial “irrational,” arguing the messages “severely undermine the complainant’s credibility.”
Still, legal experts warn that text messages alone don’t offer the full picture. “Even if the messages raise questions, they do not erase the possibility of coercion or non-consent,” said Anne-Laurence Michel, a criminal law professor in Paris. “It’s the court’s role to weigh everything -not just suggestive texts.”
Hakimi, 26, continues to train and play. PSG has offered no further comment beyond its initial show of support in early 2023, urging fans to trust the judicial process. But beyond Mbappé, players, pundits, and coaches have largely kept their distance.
That silence has grown louder as the story unfolds.
Online, the football community is torn. Some rally behind Hakimi, accusing the media of rushing to judgment. Others argue that support for the player shouldn’t eclipse the seriousness of the accusation.
“You can believe in your player and still respect the process,” one fan wrote on Reddit. “It’s not one or the other.”
But football – like many institutions – has never been great at holding space for both empathy and inquiry. Its response to off-pitch allegations, especially involving star players, has often been reactive, murky, or mute.
The stakes here are enormous. Hakimi isn’t just a player -he’s a symbol of rising African football power, a role model to millions, and a key figure at one of Europe’s biggest clubs. A conviction would shatter that legacy. A false accusation would damage another.
Mbappé’s willingness to defend his friend publicly may stem from that closeness. The two have shared not only a locker room, but holidays, family events, and deep friendship. For Mbappé, the matter appears personal.
But that intimacy also raises questions about impartiality – and about the power dynamics that can shape public opinion in cases involving celebrities.
For now, the legal process moves forward. The court will determine whether the messages are a damning insight into intent — or a distraction from consent.
Meanwhile, Hakimi walks onto the pitch, under lights that have never felt so harsh. And behind him, the game – his game -remains largely, tellingly, quiet.
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