Metzelder: Ex-footballer investigated over child pornography

Former Germany and Real Madrid footballer Christoph Metzelder, 38, is under investigation for allegedly sharing child pornography via the messenging service WhatsApp, German prosecutors confirmed Wednesday

“We can confirm an investigation against Christoph Metzelder on suspicion of sharing child pornography, including digital images,” a spokeswoman for the Hamburg prosecutor’s office, Liddy Oechtering, told AFP.

The 2002 World Cup finalist is alleged to have used WhatsApp to send pornographic photos of children to a woman in Hamburg, Oechtering said. The woman reported the images to the Hamburg police, who opened investigations alongside public prosecutors in August. Oechtering confirmed reports that investigators had carried out raids in two locations on Tuesday, but declined to give further details. 

According to a report in Spiegel magazine, the raids were on Metzelder’s home and offices in Duesseldorf and led to the seizure of a laptop and a mobile phone. Oechtering said the footballer had not been detained, adding that “we are currently analysing the materials seized.” Metzelder played for major clubs such as Madrid and Borussia Dortmund in a career spanning 15 years.