Kylian Mbappé wins major legal battle against PSG: Court orders €61 million payment

Paris labour courts have sided with Kylian Mbappé in his high-profile legal battle against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), ordering the club to pay the football superstar approximately €61 million in unpaid wages and contractual bonuses.

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The decision marks a significant victory for the French forward, who left the Ligue 1 giants for Real Madrid in 2024 after seven prolific years at the Parc des Princes. The dispute arose following Mbappé’s departure on a free transfer in the summer of 2024.

According to his legal team, PSG failed to pay salary and contractual bonuses owed for the final months of his contract, including April, May, and June 2024. Mbappé argued that the club breached its contractual obligations, a claim that PSG contested, asserting that the player had voluntarily forfeited part of the payment.

Throughout 2025, the case unfolded in French courts, drawing widespread attention across the football world. Early in the proceedings, Mbappé’s lawyers successfully secured a precautionary freeze on about €55 million of PSG’s accounts, aimed at ensuring the funds he claimed were preserved.

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This initial seizure, however, was later overturned on appeal, prolonging the legal confrontation.On December 16, 2025, the Paris labour court issued its ruling.

The judges concluded that PSG had no valid justification for withholding the payments and must compensate Mbappé for unpaid salary and contractual bonuses, including signing and ethics bonuses. 

The ruling also represents a significant moment in football labour law, highlighting the importance of clearly documented agreements between clubs and elite players.

The decision also serves as a warning to clubs attempting to enforce informal understandings or verbal agreements in disputes over high-profile contracts.

For PSG, the judgment is both a financial and reputational setback. The club faced criticism for its handling of one of football’s brightest stars and for attempting to challenge the player’s contractual claims.

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The dispute was part of a wider legal confrontation, with Mbappé reportedly claiming up to €260 million in total compensation, while PSG countered with its own claims for alleged damages and contractual breaches.

The case will likely influence how elite clubs structure contracts and resolve disputes in the future, emphasizing transparency and formal agreements in an era of ever-growing player salaries and bonuses.

References: RMC, Reuters, CNews