Swedish prosecutors today confirmed they have opened a rape investigation following claims that French football star Kylian Mbappe was under suspicion.
The countrys Prosecution Authority did not name him in a statement in which they said a criminal report had been submitted to police.
Real Madrid striker Mbappe last night hit back at a report accusing him of rape and sexual harassment at a Swedish hotel, branding it fake news, and a represenative threatened legal action to reestablish the truth and pursue any person or media involved in the moral harassment and defamatory treatment that Kylian Mbappe repeatedly suffers.
Swedish newspapers Aftonbladet and Expressen reported that a rape investigation had been opened following Mbappes two-day visit to the capital Stockholm.
The Prosecution Authority said in todays statement: In response to media reports about a suspected rape in Stockholm, the prosecutor can confirm that a criminal report has been submitted to the police.
Real Madrid and France footballer Kylian Mbappe, pictured playing for his Spanish club away to Lille on October 2, has dismissed the rape claim reports as fake news
The France captain was staying at the Bank Hotel in Swedens capital Stockholm last week
Mbappe, pictured leaving the Bank Hotel on Thursday last week, was not named in todays statement by Swedens Prosecution Authority confirming they had opened an investigation
It added that the alleged incident occurred at a hotel last Thursday, but did not name a suspect and said no further information could be shared for the moment.
Expressen yesterday identified Mbappe as the suspect, citing anonymous sources, while Aftonbladet said today it had also had obtained information confirming the 25-year-old World Cup winner was the suspect.
Expressen said Mbappe was reasonably suspected of rape and sexual assault, the lower of two grades of suspicion in the Swedish legal system.
When contacted by the news agency AFP yesterday, Mbappes representative said they had no knowledge of a legal complaint made against him.
The French captain, who was not selected for his countrys latest round of Nations League matches, visited the Swedish capital with a group of people last Thursday.
He was reportedly staying at the Bank Hotel in Stockholm as he visited friends.
According to Aftonbladet, they dined at a restaurant before going to a nightclub before Mbappe and the group left Sweden the following day.
Aftonbladet said the complaint was filed on Saturday after the alleged victim had sought medical attention.
Kylian Mbappe, pictured here arriving at Real Madrids away match against Lille in the Champions League on October 2, was staying in the Swedish capital Stockholm last week
On Thursday, the Real Madrid star visited the Chez Jolie restaurant (pictured left after leaving the restaurant with his friends), before heading to the V nightclub and finally back to his hotel in a black van with his entourage
Mbappe shared a newspaper article on the alleged rape and wrote Fake News! in a post last night on X, formerly Twitter
Expressen reported today that police had seized some clothing as evidence, saying it consisted of womens underwear, a pair of black trousers and a black top.
Mbappe claimed yesterday in a post on X, formerly Twitter, there was a link between the Aftonbladet report and his hearing before a French league committee today in a dispute with former club Paris Saint-Germain over what he says are unpaid wages.
Mbappe claims he is owed £46million by the Qatari-owned French champions.
He posted: FAKE NEWS !!!!. Its becoming so predictable, on the eve of the hearing, as if by chance.
Mbappes representative also released a statement in response to the accusations made against the footballer in Sweden.
In a statement sent to AFP, they wrote: Today, a new slanderous rumour begins to set the web ablaze, starting from the Swedish media Aftonbladet.
These accusations are totally false and irresponsible, and their propagation is unacceptable.
In order to put an end to this methodical destruction of (Kylian Mbappes) image, all necessary legal actions will be taken to reestablish the truth and pursue any person or media involved in the moral harassment and defamatory treatment that Kylian Mbappe repeatedly suffers.
Mbappe was part of the French team that won the World Cup in 2018 and has scored 48 goals in 86 caps for his country, making him the third highest scorer for France of all time
Mbappe signed for Spanish giants Real Madrid on a free transfer this summer - he is pictured here with the clubs president Florentino Perez
Mbappe is now France captain, pictured here as they took on Italy at the Parc des Princes in Paris last month, but has missed their matches during the current international break
Mbappe was part of the French team that won the World Cup in 2018, scored a hat-trick in their penalty shoot-out defeat to Argentina in the Qatar 2022 final and has hit 48 goals in 86 caps for his country, making him Frances third highest scorer.
He left PSG for Real Madrid this summer but his season so far has been hampered by injury, which ruled him out of Frances games during the recent international break.
He has alleged that he is owed about £50million in wages and bonuses, and the LFP, French professional footballs governing body, ordered PSG to pay that amount as they made a ruling on the dispute last month.
However, PSG have refused to make the payment and the saga is now due to be settled in court.
