Mbappe Set to Cash In Millions After Crushing PSG in Court Victory
Paris Saint-Germain has been mandated to compensate Kylian Mbappé with over €60 million ($70.5 million) following a French employment tribunal's decision that the Parisian outfit wrongfully withheld three months' salary and one-third of a loyalty payment.
Mbappé has been engaged in an unpleasant legal dispute with the French titleholders since departing PSG for Real Madrid as a free agent during summer 2024. This conflict originated when Mbappé notified PSG in June 2023 that he wouldn't activate the twelve-month extension clause in his deal, guaranteeing his departure without requiring a transfer payment.
PSG were caught off guard by this announcement—the organization was so certain he would remain for a minimum of three seasons they gifted the star striker a jersey displaying '2025' when his contract renewal was revealed—and attempted to arrange Mbappé's transfer in 2023 to prevent losing him without compensation.
The France skipper allegedly rejected a €300 million offer from Saudi Pro League powerhouse Al Hilal and was consequently relegated to the "loft," the French term for players excluded from the main squad structure. Mbappé wasn't included in the club's pre-season expedition and was benched for the campaign's opening match.
A tense agreement was ultimately negotiated to restore Mbappé to the squad—he immediately netted 44 goals across 48 matches that campaign—but the terms of this arrangement formed the foundation of PSG's defense. The club maintains that the player had consented to forfeit his bonuses to facilitate his return.
"From both legal and factual perspectives, the player has demonstrated clear, consistent public and private commitments that must be honored, having received extraordinary benefits from the club during seven years in Paris," PSG stated when the matter was initially reviewed by the French league's legal panel in September 2024.
That regulatory body sided with Mbappé, ordering PSG to remit the €55 million that had been retained since April 2024. As Mbappé's attorney Delphine Verheyden explained: "They have presented no evidence of any such agreement." PSG quickly challenged the ruling, which was again confirmed by the same authority in October 2024, and insisted this "incredible tale from an alternate reality" be brought before French employment court.
In April this year, with their client still awaiting the funds he was due, Mbappé's legal representatives did precisely that. "A resolution has been reached, this time to take offensive action," Verheyden announced.
The matter risked escalating dramatically when Mbappé increased his claim from €55 million to €260 million, alleging wrongful termination and reputational harm. PSG filed a counter-claim against their former player for €440 million, charging Mbappé with violating "good faith" and damaging the club's reputation.
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The French employment tribunal rejected several of Mbappé's allegations of "psychological harassment" but nevertheless determined that the club owed him €61 million covering three months' wages, an ethics payment and a signing fee.
PSG's counter-claims were completely rejected due to lack of evidence of a written arrangement with Mbappé to waive his payments.
"This judgment confirms that promises made must be fulfilled. It reinforces a fundamental principle: even within professional football, employment law governs everyone," stated a release from Mbappé's attorneys, Verheyden and Frédérique Cassereau.
"Mr. Mbappé, meanwhile, meticulously fulfilled his athletic and contractual duties for seven years, until his final day. He made every effort to prevent a conflict, even withdrawing a harassment claim for the sake of peace. In total, he had been seeking payment of his wages and bonuses for more than 18 months."
Cassereau and Verheyden informed gathered reporters following the case's conclusion on Tuesday: "The club stated that it refused to pay because it was waiting for a labor court ruling. That ruling has now been delivered.
"Moreover, the court has mandated immediate enforcement, meaning PSG must pay without delay. Football is not an unregulated environment. I trust that PSG will comply willingly, without requiring bailiff intervention; that would be dignified."