A Paris labour court has delivered a decisive verdict in one of football’s most closely watched financial disputes, ordering Paris Saint-Germain to pay approximately €60 million in unpaid wages and bonuses to its former superstar, Kylian Mbappé. The ruling on Tuesday marks a significant legal victory for the player following his acrimonious departure from the club in 2024.
The court found that PSG must pay Mbappé around €55 million in withheld salary for the months of April to June 2024, plus additional bonuses and accrued holiday pay, bringing the total to between €60 and €61 million. This sum represents a fraction of the more than €260 million Mbappé originally claimed, but it firmly rejects the club’s position. PSG had countersued for a staggering €440 million, alleging disloyalty and citing lost transfer opportunities, including a rejected €300 million offer from Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal in the summer of 2023.
In a statement, Mbappé’s legal team welcomed the judgment, asserting it “re-establishes a simple truth — even in the professional football industry, labour laws apply to everyone.” The court dismissed PSG’s argument that a verbal agreement existed for the player to waive certain bonuses and also rejected additional claims from Mbappé, including accusations of moral harassment. The club acknowledged the decision in a brief response, reserving its right to appeal while emphasising it had always “acted in good faith.”
The dispute traces its roots to Mbappé’s final year at the Parc des Princes. After informing the club he would not activate a contract extension, he was temporarily sidelined from the first-team squad during the 2023 pre-season. Although he was reintegrated and played extensively throughout the season, the relationship remained fractured, culminating in his free transfer to Real Madrid upon the contract’s expiry.
Mbappé’s seven-year tenure at PSG was historically successful on an individual and domestic level, with 256 goals in 308 appearances, though the coveted UEFA Champions League title eluded the club until the year after his departure.