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A Paris labor court has ruled that Paris Saint-Germain must pay Kylian Mbappe more than €60 million ($96 million Canadian) in a dispute over unpaid wages and bonuses related to the end of his contract before his move to Real Madrid in 2024.
Last month, lawyers argued before the Paris Council of Prudent People over a legal saga involving colossal sums. A court on Tuesday sided with the player amid allegations of betrayal and harassment related to the breakdown of his relationship with PSG.
Mbappe's lawyers argued that PSG owed him more than 260 million euros ($305 million), with PSG seeking 440 million euros from Mbappe, citing damages and “loss of opportunity” after he left on a free transfer.
The court's decision can be appealed and is unlikely to put an end to the dispute.
Mbappe's representatives said the ruling “confirms the need to fulfill obligations. It restores a simple truth: even in professional football, labor laws apply to everyone.”
There was no immediate reaction from PSG.
Relations between the 2018 World Cup winner and the reigning European champions became complicated when Mbappe decided in 2023 not to renew his contract, which was due to expire in the summer of 2024.
This deprived the club of a lucrative transfer fee, despite him being offered the most lucrative contract in the club's history when he signed a new deal in 2022. He was dropped from the pre-season tour and was forced to train with fringe players. He missed the first league game but returned to the squad for the final season following talks with the club – talks that are central to the dispute.
The club accused Mbappe of reneging on an August 2023 agreement that allegedly included a pay cut if he was transferred on a free transfer. The arrangement, PSG said, was designed to protect its financial stability. PSG said Mbappe hid his decision not to renew his contract for almost 11 months, from July 2022 to June 2023, preventing the club from arranging the transfer and causing serious financial damage. It accused him of violating contractual obligations and the principles of good faith and loyalty.
Mbappe's camp insists that PSG have never provided evidence that the striker agreed to refuse any payments. His lawyers said the club failed to pay wages and bonuses for April, May and June 2024.
“Mbappé has scrupulously fulfilled his sporting and contractual obligations for seven years and right up to the last day,” his advisers said on Tuesday. “He did everything possible to avoid legal action, even going so far as to withdraw the harassment complaint in the spirit of conciliation. In total, he sought payment of his salary and bonuses for more than 18 months.”
PSG denied all allegations of harassment, stressing that Mbappe took part in more than 94% of matches in 2023-24 and always worked under conditions consistent with the Professional Football Charter.
PSG were seeking a total of €440 million in damages, including €180 million for the missed opportunity to sign Mbappe as he left as a free agent after rejecting a €300 million offer from Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal in July 2023.
Mbappe joined Real Madrid on a free transfer in the summer of 2024 after scoring a club-record 256 goals in seven years for PSG, who won the Champions League without him this year.
