Moroccan World Cup footballer involved in fatal hit-and-run

Awful news.

Moroccan footballer Amine Harit has reportedly been involved in a hit-and-run car accident which killed a pedestrian. Police in Marrakech have confirmed (via Breaking the Lines) the Schalke midfielder, who turned 21 earlier in June, was driving the car following reports that his 14-year-old brother had been behind the wheel. Initial reports claimed that Harit had allowed his brother to drive his car at a high speed, who proceeded to crash into a 28-year-old pedestrian. Bystanders stopped Harit and his brother from fleeing the scene. Harit was part of Morocco's unsuccessful World Cup campaign, starting in the 1-0 defeat to Iran but being dropped to the bench for the subsequent games against Spain and Portugal. The French-born midfielder was included in the Atlas Lions' squad for Russia after a breakthrough season for Bundesliga side Schalke in which the club secured a return to the Champions League. Schalke released a statement on Saturday afternoon.

"On Saturday (June 30), sports director Christian Heidel managed to get in touch with Harit, who is still in shock," it read. The player described Heidel the terrible events of the previous night. As a driver of the car, he had no way of preventing the tragic accident. "The police have recorded the accident. After receiving his testimony Harit was able to leave the police station. Currently, the 21-year-old stays with his family in Morocco and is mentally cared for. "First and foremost, Amine's deep compassion, as well as that of all of us at FC Schalke 04, applies to the survivors of the victim," says Christian Heidel: "We are now in constant contact with Amine."

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