The ongoing drama involving Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) defender Achraf Hakimi and his wife, actress Hiba Abouk, takes a surprising turn as Abouk's attempt to claim half of Hakimi's fortune in their divorce hits a dead end. The reason: the Moroccan football star's wealth is predominantly in his mother's name.

As reported by Marca, Abouk proceeded with divorce proceedings after confirming several months of separation from Hakimi. However, when she sought half of his assets, as is customary in a divorce without a prenuptial agreement, she was stunned to discover the celebrated footballer had virtually nothing in his name.

The reason behind this is not a lack of earnings, but rather, that Hakimi's fortune is primarily held in his mother's name. The PSG defender is the sixth highest-paid African footballer, earning around $215,000 (£173k) per week or approximately $1 million per month, along with income from endorsement deals and other extras.

Hakimi's career began at Real Madrid, where he spent most of his youth before breaking into the first team and going on loan to Borussia Dortmund. He then made a name for himself at Inter Milan, attracting PSG's attention in 2021. Hakimi's profile rose further as he led Morocco to the 2022 FIFA World Cup quarter-finals.

The 24-year-old footballer's estimated fortune of $24 million (£19 million) is mostly controlled by his mother, with his salary reportedly transferred directly to her accounts. Consequently, Abouk will be unable to claim half of his fortune in the divorce.

Nonetheless, Abouk's successful acting career has amassed her a fortune of about $2 million (£1.6 million). The eventual settlement remains uncertain, now that it's been revealed that most of Hakimi's assets are not in his own name.

News of the divorce emerged in February amid rape allegations against Hakimi. The Moroccan footballer was charged with sexual assault after a 24-year-old woman reported him to French authorities. This revelation led to questions about the whereabouts of Hakimi's wife and two young children, who were later found to be in Dubai and Madrid, where Abouk maintains a home.

In the weeks following the rape allegations, Abouk confirmed her separation from Hakimi, stating that they had been apart for several months at the time of his encounter with the accuser. While Abouk did not elaborate on the reasons for their split, she expressed her shock at being involved in a rape scandal and emphasized her support for abuse victims.

Hakimi and Abouk married in 2020 and had two children in quick succession before separating less than a year after their second child's birth.