Allegations of rape against Kylian Mbappé, the captain of the French national team and forward for Real Madrid, have been dismissed as “totally false” and “slanderous” by his representatives. This statement came after reports emerged about an investigation into an incident at a hotel in Stockholm last Thursday.
Swedish prosecutors confirmed that a probe has been initiated into the alleged rape case but did not specify any suspects. Reports from Swedish media, including SVT and the newspapers Expressen and Aftonbladet, indicated that Mbappé, 25, was identified as a suspect.
In a statement to the media, Mbappé’s representatives from Patricia Goldman criticized the accusations, calling them “irresponsible” and unacceptable. They emphasized that Mbappé would not allow his reputation to be tarnished by unfounded rumors.
Mbappé’s lawyer, Marie-Alix Canu-Bernard, spoke on French television asserting that they were not aware of whom the complaint was against and stressed that Mbappé is careful and avoids compromising situations. She described him as “serene” but bewildered by the media attention and asserted that he had done nothing wrong.
Mbappé, who missed recent matches for France against Israel and Belgium due to a muscle injury, responded to the reports on social media, labeling them as “Fake News!!!!” It was reported that he had been in Sweden on a private trip with friends before departing the country on Friday, shortly before a report was made to police by an unidentified victim.
The Swedish Prosecution Authority confirmed that a criminal report had been filed, but details regarding the victim or the specifics of the alleged assault were not disclosed. Senior prosecutor Marina Chirakova declined to provide further comments.
Sources indicated that the investigators’ level of suspicion towards Mbappé is “reasonable,” which is the lower of two levels in the Swedish legal framework. The higher level, known as “probable suspicion,” is typically necessary for holding a suspect in custody.
Mbappé continued to train with his Real Madrid teammates on Tuesday, while the club has not yet responded to inquiries about whether they were informed of the investigation or contacted by Swedish authorities.