Prosecutors close Swedish rape probe linked to Mbappe

Swedish prosecutors have dropped a rape investigation that was launched in connection with soccer star Kylian Mbappe's visit to Stockholm in October.

In a statement, lead investigator Marina Chirakova said there was not enough evidence to continue the investigation, which centred on an incident at a hotel.

"During the course of the investigation, there has been a designated person suspected on reasonable grounds of rape and two cases of sexual assault, but my assessment is that the evidence is not sufficient to proceed and the investigation is therefore closed," Chirakova said.

"The designated person has not been notified of suspicion of a crime."

Prosecutors never publicly named the suspect in the investigation, but many Swedish media reported it was Real Madrid striker Mbappe, who visited Stockholm in October during a break in the Spanish league.

At the time Mbappe's legal team dismissed those reports as false.

Mbappe's lawyer Marie-Alix Canu-Bernard and the player's representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comments on Thursday.

In an interview that aired on Sunday on French TV station Canal Plus, Mbappe said he was "surprised" by the reports that he was the subject of a rape investigation and he had not been contacted by Swedish authorities.

"These are things that come into your life like that, you can't see them coming," Mbappe told Canal Plus.

"It's just incomprehension. I don't think it weighed on me in the sense that I have never considered myself involved."

The 25-year-old appeared in Stockholm on October 10 during an international break, instead of playing for France in the Nations League. Just days later Swedish media reported he was the subject of a rape investigation.

At the time Swedish prosecutors confirmed that a rape investigation had begun, but declined to comment further.