French footballer Kylian Mbappé is being investigated for rape following a visit to Stockholm, Swedish newspaper Expressen reported on Tuesday. The Real Madrid star has denounced the report as “fake news”.
The allegation emerged after newspaper Aftonbladet reported that a rape had been reported to police without naming the accused. Expressen then identified 25-year-old Mbappé as 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.
Under Swedish law, “reasonable” suspicion represents a lower degree of suspicion than “probable”.
Mbappé’s entourage told Agence France-Presse (AFP) they had no knowledge of any legal complaint against him.
The French international visited Stockholm on 10 October with a group, dining at a restaurant before going to a nightclub, according to Aftonbladet. They left Sweden on Friday.
Mbappé claimed on social media platform X that the report was linked to his hearing before a French league committee on Tuesday regarding a dispute with his former club Paris Saint-Germain over alleged unpaid wages.
A prosecutor told AFP that “a probe is underway into a crime that was reported on 10 October in the centre of Stockholm”. Swedish police declined to provide further details.
Mbappé’s representatives described the allegations as “completely false and irresponsible” in a statement to AFP, vowing to take legal action against “moral harassment and defamatory treatment”.
France coach Didier Deschamps commented that the report “is not a good thing for the national team”, urging caution before publishing such claims.
