In brief
Kylian Mbappé stands firm as erroneous media reports link him to a Swedish investigation, firmly dismissing the allegations and considering legal action for defamation.
France's football captain Kylian Mbappé finds himself at the center of swirling media reports linking him to a rape inquiry in Sweden—a claim his lawyer and he vehemently deny. On Monday, Swedish authorities confirmed an investigation into allegations of a suspected incident occurring in Stockholm, without naming any individuals involved. Yet, reports from Swedish media pointed fingers toward Mbappé, a claim branded as "FAKE NEWS" by the player to his substantial online followers.During his two-day stay in Stockholm last week, where he was seen enjoying the city's nightlife, Mbappé was reportedly not on the France team's roster for the recent Uefa Nations League matches. His lawyers quickly refuted the media narrative as defamatory, highlighting the absence of formal charges against him, and stressed the player's constant professional conduct. Lawyer Marie-Alix Canu-Bernard underscored his consistent public presence, making any accusations against him implausible.As the senior prosecutor Marina Chirakova leads the Swedish investigation, details remain sparse. Meanwhile, Mbappé's legal team is also dealing with a separate wage dispute with Paris Saint-Germain, which Mbappé speculated could be influencing the timing of the Swedish media storm. With procedural matters like this taking center stage, the French football league is scheduled to address the PSG wage allegation on 25 October.
