PSG is ordered by a French court to pay Mbappe 60 million euros
One of the most contentious conflicts in French football was partially resolved on Tuesday when a labor court in Paris ordered Paris St. Germain to pay Kylian Mbappe 60 million euros ($70.6 million) in unpaid salary and incentives.
The decision came after months of legal battle after the French striker sued PSG for allegedly withholding payments for April, May, and June of 2024, just before he left the Ligue 1 team to sign a free transfer with Real Madrid.
“We are happy with the outcome. The lawyer for Mbappe, Frederique Cassereau, told reporters, “This is what you could expect when salaries went unpaid.”
In accordance with Mbappe’s employment contract, the court determined that PSG had not paid him three months’ worth of salary, an ethical bonus, or a signing bonus.
In two rulings from September and October 2024, the French Professional Football League (LFP) acknowledged that those amounts were owed, and the judges stated that PSG had failed to present any written documentation proving Mbappe had relinquished his right.
In addition to rejecting PSG’s contention that Mbappe should completely forfeit his outstanding earnings, the judges dismissed a number of the player’s other claims, including claims of moral harassment, covert work, and violation of the employer’s responsibility of safety.
Because the court did not consider Mbappe’s fixed-term contract to be permanent, the range of possible compensation for notice pay and termination was constrained.
All people are subject to labor law.
According to this ruling, promises made must be kept. Mbappe’s legal team said in a statement that it “restores a simple truth: even in the professional football industry, labor law applies to everyone.”
“Mr. Mbappe, for his part, scrupulously respected his sporting and contractual obligations for seven years, right up to the final day.”
PSG claimed that by keeping his plan to not extend his contract a secret for almost a year, Mbappe had acted disloyally and prevented the team from obtaining a transfer fee comparable to the 180 million euros they paid to sign him from AS Monaco in 2017. According to Mbappe’s representatives, the disagreement was more about unpaid compensation and the strict execution of French labor law than transfer policy.
“Paris St Germain retains the right to appeal, but it will comply with the decision rendered by the Paris labor court,” the team said in a statement. As always, Paris St. Germain has operated honorably and in good faith, and it will do so in the future. With a focus on cooperation and group achievement, the team is now looking to the future and wishes the athlete the best for the rest of his career.
