Former French international footballer Wissam Ben Yedder has been handed a two-year suspended prison sentence for sexually assaulting a woman in September. The ruling came from the Nice Criminal Court on November 12, 2024.
Ben Yedder, 34, who was once the captain of Ligue 1 club AS Monaco and is among the team’s all-time top scorers, had been out of professional football after leaving Monaco at the end of last season.
According to the investigation, the incident occurred on the evening of September 6, when Ben Yedder met a woman while out drinking. He invited her into his car, where he performed an inappropriate sex act in front of her. The woman immediately reported the incident to the police, leading to Ben Yedder’s arrest later that night.
“I don’t remember anything, I can’t say if I did it. It’s because of alcohol that I’m here,” Ben Yedder said during the trial. Following the incident, he sought help and entered a rehabilitation program. He did not attend the sentencing hearing.
In addition to this case, Ben Yedder faces further legal challenges. He is set to go to trial in December for charges of psychological abuse against his wife, with whom he is currently divorcing. Moreover, he is also accused of rape by another woman, with that case still under investigation.
Ben Yedder’s football career began at Toulouse before moving to Spain’s Sevilla and later to Monaco in 2019, where he scored 118 goals in 201 matches. He also earned three caps for the French national team. However, his contract with Monaco expired this year. In 2023, a Spanish court found him guilty of tax fraud and gave him a six-month suspended sentence.
