Former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Kheira Hamraoui has signed with Saudi Arabia women’s Premier League side Al-Shabab.
The 34-year-old left PSG upon the expiry of her contract in the summer of 2023 nearly two years after she was attacked by a masked man who hit her with an iron bar, targeting her legs.
Although initially released without charge, in September 2022, Hamraoui’s former PSG team-mate Aminata Diallo and five men were arrested and charged with three counts of aggravated assault and criminal conspiracy.
According to a police report, Diallo instigated the attack on Hamraoui, her motive being “violent sporting jealousy”. Diallo maintains she is innocent; the five men say they acted on the orders of a person they will not or cannot name. The investigation is ongoing.
In September 2023 Hamraoui joined Club America in Mexico and made 11 appearances but left before the end of the calendar year. She has not played since but did feature in this year’s Soccer Aid World XI team in June.
“We all have a choice,” Hamraoui wrote on Instagram. “I took a break for six months and it was the most important thing for me.
“I felt the need to get back to the essential things in life that we often forget: our mental health, our inner peace, our balance and our emotions.
“Now that I’m in tune with myself and all the wellbeing I’ve been able to offer myself, I’d like to thank from the bottom of my heart the people who have helped me to be at peace, to accept each experience that comes my way and to reconnect with my emotions.
“I’m aware that there’s still a long way to go, but a big step has been taken and I feel ready for a new adventure.”
Diallo, meanwhile, signed for Saudi side Al Nassr last August and won the title with them last season but the club announced her departure on Tuesday following the expiry of her contract.
GO DEEPER
Kheira Hamraoui suffered an attack of ‘violent jealousy’. Two years on, this story is far from over
(FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images)
