In recent years, the football world has been rocked by numerous off-pitch controversies, with several high-profile footballers facing allegations of sexual assault.
These cases have sparked heated debates about accountability, celebrity privilege, and the culture surrounding professional sports.
Below, Newscenta takes a look at seven notable footballers who have been accused of sexual assault.
1. Thomas Partey
Thomas Partey, 32, has been charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault.
The charges against Partey relate to complaints received from three women, with the offenses reported to have taken place between 2021-2022.
The five rape charges relate to two different women, while the sexual assault charge relates to a third woman.
2. Dani Alves
Once convicted in Spain for rape in a nightclub, Dani Alves successfully appealed the verdict.
In March 2025, Catalonia’s High Court unanimously overturned the conviction, citing “gaps, inaccuracies, and inconsistencies” in the original ruling and issues with the complainant’s reliability. The conviction and imposed restrictions were nullified.
3. Cristiano Ronaldo
Portuguese football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has been accused of rape in connection with an alleged incident that reportedly took place in a Las Vegas hotel room in 2009. The allegation, which first surfaced years ago, has once again drawn global attention as legal proceedings and media coverage intensify.
The accuser, Kathryn Mayorga, claims that Ronaldo sexually assaulted her after meeting at a nightclub in Las Vegas. She further alleges that the footballer coerced her into signing a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) in exchange for a financial settlement, intended to prevent the matter from becoming public.
Court documents indicate that Mayorga is seeking to overturn the NDA, arguing that she signed it under duress and lacked proper legal counsel at the time.
Cristiano Ronaldo has consistently denied the allegations, calling them “false and fabricated.”
4. Clayton McDonald
McDonald was tried alongside Evans in 2012 for the same case. He was acquitted at the time, with the jury finding him not guilty of rape. McDonald was playing for Port Vale when the allegations came to light.
A jury cleared both in early 2025 after just two hours of deliberation. Tongyik expressed relief and emotional gratitude upon acquittal.
5. Ched Evans
Footballer Ched Evans has been found not guilty of raping a 19-year-old woman in a hotel room.
The Chesterfield striker was accused of attacking her at a Premier Inn in Rhuddlan, Denbighshire, on 30 May 2011.
Evans was originally found guilty of rape at Caernarfon Crown Court in 2012, but this conviction was quashed in April.
He was found not guilty of the same charge after a retrial at Cardiff Crown Court.
5. Adam Johnson
Adam Johnson was jailed for six years in March after being convicted of grooming, kissing, and sexual activity with the teenage girl following a trial at Bradford Crown Court.
In February 2016, it was reported that former right winger for the Sunderland AFC, Adam Johnson, had sexually touched a 15-year-old fan who idolised him after he gave her a signed football shirt.
6. Benjamin Mendy
Former Manchester City player Benjamin Mendy was charged with several counts of rape and sexual assault in 2022. In January 2023, he was found not guilty of six rape charges and one count of sexual assault. At a retrial in July 2023, he was cleared of the final two charges, ending all legal proceedings against him.
7. Williams Kokolo
Williams Kokolo, 2023, was cleared of three counts of rape. The defender who had been accused of rape denied the charges.
The French national, who joined Albion in January 2022, faced accusations involving one woman in the Birmingham area in February 2022.
