The former player of the Real Madrid and German international Christoph Metzelder will be tried in April a Düsseldorf for dissemination of images of a pedophile nature, the court announced this Monday.
Metzelder, who denies the facts, will be tried from April 29, the court added in a statement.
The 40-year-old former German national defender is accused of sending 29 images of a pedophile and pornographic nature known to WhatsApp. He will also be tried for possessing such photographs.
The court did not issue an arrest warrant on the former footballer, who was training as a coach in the German Football Federation (DFB), when it opened the investigation, in September 2019.
the newspaper image to affirm then that she was the fianc2ee of the old player, with whom maintained a relation for a year, which had denounced it after to have received at least fifteen images of pedophile character.
The public television channel ARD, With whom the player had recently become a commentator, immediately decided to “suspend his cooperation” during the investigation.
World runner-up in 2002, Christoph Metzelder was 47 times international between 2001 and 2008, like central defense.
Then shine in the Borussia Dortmund (2000-2007), signed by Real Madrid (2007-2010) and returned to Germany to play the Schalke, In which he retired in 2013.
He then ran an advertising agency and his own foundation, the Fondation Christoph Metzelder, to support children’s and youth projects. He also coached the team Sub-19 from’ TuS Haltern.