Mbappé Wins $70M Legal Battle Against PSG/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ A Paris labor court has ruled that Paris Saint-Germain must pay Kylian Mbappé over $70 million in unpaid wages and bonuses. The ruling stems from a contract dispute following Mbappé’s 2024 departure to Real Madrid. PSG had sought damages, but the court sided with the player.
PSG vs. Mbappé Dispute: Quick Looks
- PSG ordered to pay over $70 million to Kylian Mbappé for unpaid wages and bonuses.
- The ruling follows a dispute over Mbappé’s contract ending in summer 2024.
- Mbappé’s original claim was for €55 million; PSG countered with a €440 million lawsuit.
- Court rejected Mbappé’s argument that his fixed-term deal should be reclassified as permanent.
- PSG accused him of breaching trust and hiding his free transfer plans.
- Mbappé’s legal team denied any wrongdoing and said wages from April–June 2024 were unpaid.
- The player withdrew a harassment complaint to avoid further litigation.
- Mbappé joined Real Madrid in 2024 after scoring 256 goals for PSG.
- The club lost out on a €300 million offer from Saudi side Al-Hilal.
- PSG can appeal the court’s decision but hasn’t commented publicly.
Deep Look
Court Rules PSG Must Pay Over $70 Million to Kylian Mbappé After Contract Dispute
Kylian Mbappé, one of football’s brightest stars, has won a significant legal battle against his former club Paris Saint-Germain. A Paris labor court ruled this week that PSG must pay the French striker more than €60 million (over $70 million) in unpaid wages and bonuses tied to the final phase of his contract, which ended in 2024.
The decision marks the culmination of a high-stakes legal standoff between the player and the reigning European champions — one filled with accusations of broken agreements, withheld payments, and lingering resentment after Mbappé’s high-profile exit.
Legal Battle Over Wages and Contract Terms
Mbappé, who signed with Real Madrid in the summer of 2024, filed his case before the Conseil de prud’hommes de Paris, France’s labor court, arguing that PSG failed to honor salary and bonus payments for April through June 2024. His legal team initially demanded €55 million but claimed last month that PSG owed him more than €260 million if the court reclassified his fixed-term contract as a permanent one. That request was denied.
Instead, the court upheld Mbappé’s right to receive unpaid compensation under the terms of his contract, siding with the player over PSG, which had countersued for €440 million in damages. The club accused Mbappé of breaching loyalty and good faith, claiming he hid his intention to leave on a free transfer for nearly a year.
Mbappé’s representatives responded to the verdict by saying it affirmed a basic legal principle: “Commitments must be honored. Even in professional football, labor law applies to everyone.”
A Bitter Departure Turns Litigious
The once-celebrated relationship between PSG and Mbappé began to deteriorate in 2023 after the forward informed the club he would not be extending his contract beyond June 2024. This revelation effectively meant PSG would lose him without receiving a transfer fee, a devastating blow considering the club turned down a €300 million offer from Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal in July 2023.
The fallout was immediate. Mbappé was left off the club’s preseason tour and made to train separately from the first team. Though he returned to the squad in time for the 2023–24 season opener, tensions remained.
PSG alleged that an informal agreement existed where Mbappé would accept a reduced payout if he chose to leave for free — a claim his legal team has firmly denied. No documented evidence of such an agreement was produced, according to his attorneys.
Mbappé’s Response: Focus on Performance, Not Conflict
Throughout the 2023–24 season, Mbappé remained a central figure on the pitch. He scored a club-record 256 goals across his seven-year tenure at PSG and appeared in more than 94% of the team’s matches that year.
“Mbappé scrupulously fulfilled his sporting and contractual obligations for seven years,” his legal advisers said. “He even withdrew a harassment complaint in a spirit of conciliation, hoping to avoid court action. For over 18 months, he has simply asked to be paid what he is owed.”
Despite the strained circumstances, Mbappé left PSG on relatively professional terms, eventually joining Real Madrid as a free agent. He helped PSG win the UEFA Champions League during his final season, though he wasn’t part of the squad during their final run.
PSG Claims Financial Harm and Lost Opportunity
PSG’s defense in court focused on what it described as a “loss of opportunity.” The club argued that by withholding his decision to leave, Mbappé prevented PSG from securing a transfer fee, resulting in massive financial losses. Of the €440 million in damages PSG sought, €180 million was attributed to the missed chance of selling him during the transfer window.
PSG has rejected allegations of harassment, insisting the player was treated fairly under the Professional Football Charter. As of Tuesday, the club had not issued a public statement on the court’s ruling or whether it intends to appeal.
What’s Next?
The judgment is subject to appeal, but for now, the ruling delivers a significant legal and financial victory for Mbappé. It also reinforces the application of labor law in the increasingly high-stakes and commercially complex world of professional football.
Mbappé now continues his career with Real Madrid, leaving behind a chapter in Paris that ended not with celebration, but with a legal settlement.
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