The champagne has gone flat for Achraf Hakimi. Paris Saint-Germain's star full-back, the man who carried Morocco to World Cup semi-finals, now faces a far sterner test. A Parisian court has ordered the 25-year-old to stand trial for rape.
The accusation, from a young woman who claims she was assaulted at his home in April. The timing is brutal. Just as the football world prepares for a transfer window frenzy, Hakimi's future is in legal limbo.
The charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years. His lawyers maintain innocence. But in the court of public opinion, the stain is already there.
The case will be closely watched, not just in France but across North Africa. A star fading before our eyes. The game moves on, but for Hakimi, the whistle has blown on a different kind of match.
