Morocco World Cup player involved in fatal road accident

Morocco’s 21-year-old World Cup midfielder Amine Harit was involved in a road accident in which a pedestrian was killed, the Moroccan football federation and local police said Saturday.

Harit was driving a Mercedes car registered in France when the accident in which the 30-year-old man died occurred shortly after midnight in Marrakesh, police said.

Police said his 14-year-old brother was in the Mercedes when the accident happened.

A police spokesman said Harit’s passport had been confiscated and he had been summoned to appear before prosecutors on Monday.

Harit, who plays for Bundesliga club Schalke 04, was part of the Morocco side that were eliminated after losing two and drawing one of their first-round matches at the World Cup in Russia.

Schalke said in a statement: “As the driver of the car involved, he was unable to prevent the tragic accident.”

The Gelsenkirchen-based club added: “Above all else, Amine and all of us at FC Schalke would like to send our condolences to the relatives of the victim.” It said Harit was receiving counselling.

Harit was voted man-of-the match in Morocco’s game against Iran even though his side lost.