Paris’s top labor court has ordered Paris Saint-Germain to hand over more than €60 million to star striker Kylian Mbappé, ending a long-running battle over unpaid wages and bonuses that began when the player’s 2024 contract expired.
Court Decision
The Conseil de prud’hommes de Paris awarded the French superstar a sum that roughly matches his initial claim of €55 million. Lawyers had argued the day before that the club owed him more than €260 million, but the judges rejected the idea that his fixed-term contract should be treated as permanent. The ruling came after the club and the player had been locked in a judicial fight involving “colossal sums” and accusations of betrayal and moral harassment.
Background of the Dispute
Mbappé chose not to extend his contract in 2023, a decision that left PSG without a transfer fee when he left on a free transfer in summer 2024. The club had offered him the most lucrative deal in its history in 2022, yet he was sidelined from a preseason tour and forced to train with fringe players. He missed the opening league game but returned to the lineup for the final season after discussions with the club – talks that are central to the dispute.
Claims from Both Sides
Paris Saint-Germain accused the striker of backing out of an August 2023 agreement that would have reduced his pay if he left on a free transfer. The club said Mbappé hid his decision to not extend his contract for nearly eleven months, from July 2022 to June 2023, preventing the club from arranging a transfer and causing major financial harm. It alleged that he violated contractual obligations, good faith and loyalty.
Mbappé’s camp said PSG never produced evidence that the striker agreed to forego any payment. His lawyers claimed the club failed to pay wages and bonuses for April, May and June 2024. They also argued that reclassifying the contract as permanent would have triggered compensation for unfair dismissal, unpaid wages, bonuses and severance.
Statements from Parties
Delphine Verheyden, Mbappé’s lawyer, said, “It’s been 18 months indeed that Kylian Mbappé has been asking for the same thing – the payment of his wages, his bonus, for the work he carried out. I’m sure he will be happy to close this chapter because it was very important for him to be paid for the work he did while playing for PSG.”
The club’s statement read, “Paris Saint-Germain has acted in good faith and honesty throughout, and we always will. The club looks forward to the future based on collective unity and success; and we wish the player the best for the future.”
Mbappé’s representatives said the ruling “confirms that commitments must be honored. It restores a simple truth: Even in the professional football industry labor law applies to everyone.”
His advisers added, “Mbappé scrupulously fulfilled his sporting and contractual obligations for seven years and right up to the final day. He did everything possible to avoid litigation, even going so far as to withdraw a harassment complaint in a spirit of conciliation. In total, he had been seeking payment of his salaries and bonuses for more than 18 months.”
Key Takeaways
- PSG ordered to pay over €60 million to Mbappé for unpaid wages and bonuses.
- The club had sought €440 million, citing damages and a “loss of opportunity.”
- Mbappé’s lawyers claimed the club failed to pay wages for April-June 2024 and that a contract reclassification would have triggered additional compensation.
The decision underscores the legal weight of player contracts and the financial stakes involved when a star chooses to leave on a free transfer. As PSG prepares to comply, the case may influence how clubs and players negotiate and enforce contractual terms in the future.
