Former Manchester City and France defender Benjamin Mendy has been found not guilty of rape and attempted rape by two separate juries at Chester Crown Court.
The 28-year-old was accused of raping a 24-year-old woman at his home in Cheshire in October 2022, and of attempting to rape a 29-year-old woman at the same location in August 2020.
Mendy denied both allegations and claimed that the sexual encounters were consensual.
He was acquitted of the first charge in January, along with six other counts of rape and one of sexual assault involving four other women or teenagers.
However, the jury at the time could not reach a verdict on the second charge, leading to a retrial that lasted for three weeks.
On Friday, Mendy was cleared of the remaining charge by a unanimous decision of the second jury, composed of six men and six women.
He broke down in tears as he heard the verdicts and thanked the jurors for focusing on the evidence rather than on the rumours and innuendo that surrounded the case.
His lawyer, Jenny Wiltshire, said that Mendy had tried to remain strong during the three years of investigation, but that the process had inevitably had a serious impact on him.
She added that Mendy would now ask for privacy so he can begin rebuilding his life.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which brought the charges against Mendy, said it respects the decision of the jury and remains committed to prosecute rape cases wherever its legal test is met.
Mendy, who won the World Cup with France in 2018 and several trophies with Manchester City, was suspended by his club in August 2021 when he was first charged.
His contract with the club expired at the end of June 2023 and his future in football is uncertain.
