at 
A Paris labour court has ruled in favor of Kylian Mbappe, ordering former club Paris Saint-Germain to pay the star forward £52.5 million in unpaid wages and bonuses, finally settling a messy dispute that’s been dragging on for more than a year.
Court Confirms PSG Withheld Salary, Bonuses
The decision comes after Mbappe claimed he was shorted three months’ salary—April through June 2024—just before his high-profile free transfer to Real Madrid. Alongside those missing paychecks, the court found PSG failed to deliver on an ethics bonus and a signing bonus, all of which were contractually owed.
While Mbappe had originally sought £231.5 million in damages, and PSG had fired back with a counterclaim of £211 million, the court ultimately awarded only a portion of the amount. It rejected PSG’s argument that the forward had forfeited his pay by refusing to sign a contract extension.
“This is what you expect when salaries go unpaid,” said Mbappe’s lawyer, Frederique Cassereau. “We are satisfied with the ruling.”
Court Sides with Labour Law Over Football Politics
PSG argued that Mbappe had acted in bad faith by hiding his decision not to extend his contract, which they claimed cost them a potential £165 million transfer fee. They pointed to his refusal to move to Al-Hilal for a record £300 million in 2023 and his year-long silence on his exit strategy as proof of disloyalty.
The court didn’t bite. Judges ruled that PSG provided no written proof that Mbappe had waived his earnings, and dismissed several of the club’s claims. They also rejected parts of Mbappe’s own case, including accusations of concealed work, moral harassment, and breach of safety obligations. Importantly, the court also ruled his contract was fixed-term, not permanent, limiting what he could claim in damages.
Mbappe’s legal team called the verdict a reminder that “labour law applies to everyone, even in professional football.” They stressed that he fulfilled his contract in full, right up to his final day.
Fallout from Mbappe’s Summer Exit
Mbappe’s final months at PSG were anything but smooth. After turning down Saudi money and refusing a contract renewal, he was frozen out of the squad, excluded from the club’s pre-season tour of Asia, and benched for the opening game of the 2023–24 season. Though he was later brought back into the fold, the atmosphere remained tense.
PSG claimed he agreed to give up part of his end-of-contract bonuses to help the club’s finances—a claim his camp later dismissed as “fantasy.”
The fallout caps off a rollercoaster relationship. Mbappe, who arrived from Monaco in 2017, leaves as PSG’s all-time leading scorer, netting 256 goals in 308 appearances and winning 15 domestic trophies.
What This Means for the Average Fan
While the headlines are packed with eye-watering sums, the takeaway for fans is more about the principle than the price tag: even in elite football, clubs can’t just decide to skip paychecks—no matter who the player is. Whether you’re a superstar or a squad player, a contract is a contract.
And for anyone dreaming of playing at the top level? This case is a reminder that even football’s golden boys need lawyers.
