French football star Kylian Mbappé has won a significant legal battle against his former club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) after a Paris labour court ruled that the Ligue 1 champions must pay him more than €60 million(9.06 billion) in unpaid wages and bonuses.
The ruling brings to a head a long-running dispute between Mbappé and PSG that dates back to the final months of his contract before his departure from the club in 2024.
The court found that PSG failed to honour its contractual obligations, despite arguments from the club that the player had forfeited certain payments following a breakdown in relations.
According to the ruling, PSG owes Mbappé salaries and bonuses for April, May and June 2024, including signing and ethics-related bonuses that were withheld during the final stretch of his contract. The total amount awarded exceeds €60 million, making it one of the most high-profile financial judgments involving a professional footballer in recent years.
The Paris labour court rejected PSG’s claim that Mbappé had implicitly agreed to waive part of his earnings as part of an internal agreement linked to his decision not to renew his contract. Judges ruled that no written waiver existed and that, under French labour law, contractual remuneration must be paid unless explicitly and lawfully forfeited.
The decision reinforces the principle that professional footballers, regardless of status, are protected under employment law and entitled to agreed compensation.
Mbappé’s relationship with PSG deteriorated in 2023 after he informed the club that he would not activate an option to extend his contract beyond June 2024. The decision effectively meant he would leave on a free transfer, depriving PSG of a potentially lucrative transfer fee.
In response, PSG excluded Mbappé from parts of pre-season activities and sidelined him from certain sporting decisions.
While the player eventually returned to the squad and completed the season, tensions remained high behind the scenes.
Mbappé’s legal team later filed a claim arguing that PSG unlawfully withheld wages and bonuses during the final months of his contract, despite him fulfilling his professional obligations and remaining available for selection.
PSG, in turn, argued that Mbappé’s stance caused financial damage to the club and sought to justify the withheld payments, citing internal agreements and the broader context of the contract standoff.
In its ruling, the court found that PSG failed to provide sufficient legal grounds for withholding the payments. Judges ruled that Mbappé continued to meet his contractual duties and that disciplinary or financial sanctions could not be imposed without clear legal justification.
The court also dismissed PSG’s broader financial claims, noting that the club’s inability to secure a transfer fee did not override contractual obligations to pay agreed salaries and bonuses.
Mbappé’s representatives welcomed the decision, describing it as a victory not just for the player, but for professional athletes more broadly.
Mbappé joined PSG in August 2017 from AS Monaco, initially on loan before the move was made permanent. Over seven seasons, he became the club’s all-time leading scorer, netting 256 goals across all competitions and winning multiple domestic titles.
Despite his success on the pitch, his final years at the club were marked by recurring contract standoffs and public speculation over his future. His departure in 2024 ended one of the most influential chapters in PSG’s modern history.
Following the expiration of his contract, Mbappé joined Real Madrid, fulfilling a long-anticipated move that had been the subject of transfer speculation for years.
The legal defeat comes despite PSG’s continued sporting success. The club went on to win the UEFA Champions League in 2025, their first ever title, a year after Mbappé’s exit.