By Michael Nsikan Richard – December 17th, 2025
theScore reports that a French labor court has ruled in favor of Kylian Mbappe in his high-profile wage dispute with PSG, ordering the club to pay the Real Madrid forward approximately €61 million ($71.8 million) in unpaid wages and bonuses. The ruling was issued on Tuesday by the Conseil du prud’hommes de Paris, marking a significant victory for the 26-year-old France captain.
Breakdown of the Award
According to theScore, the court determined that the €60-61 million payment comprises €55 million in unpaid salary and approximately €6 million in holiday payments.
According to some reports, the award includes approximately €40 million, corresponding to an unpaid signing bonus installment, plus just over €20 million for wage arrears, and an “ethical bonus” covering the three months preceding his mid-2024 move to Real Madrid.
The dispute centered on wages and bonuses that Mbappe claims PSG failed to pay during April, May, and June 2024, the final months of his contract before he departed for Real Madrid on a free transfer in the summer.
The Backstory to the Dispute
ESPN and theScore report that the relationship between Mbappe and PSG deteriorated significantly during the 2023-24 season. When Mbappe decided in 2023 not to extend his contract beyond its June 2024 expiration date, he was sidelined by PSG and made to train with players the club was trying to offload after refusing to agree to a new contract.
He was not invited to partake in PSG’s 2023 preseason Asian tour and missed the first game of that season, although he was later reintegrated into the team following discussions with the club’s management.
Manchester Times also narrates that Mbappe’s lawyers alleged moral harassment and claimed PSG used intimidation tactics, while PSG denied any wrongdoing and emphasized that Mbappe participated in over 94% of matches during the 2023-24 season under conditions compliant with professional football regulations.
Reaction to the Verdict
theScore reports that Mbappe’s lawyers expressed satisfaction with the decision, stating that it “re-establishes a simple truth—even in the professional football industry, labor laws apply to everyone.”
The player’s representatives noted that Mbappe had fulfilled his sporting and contractual obligations throughout his 7 years at PSG and had attempted to avoid litigation, even withdrawing a harassment complaint in the spirit of conciliation.
PSG has not yet publicly indicated whether it intends to appeal the decision, though the ruling can be contested through the appeals process.
Broader Implications
This case represents one of the most significant contractual disputes in football history and may have high consequences for player contracts and labor law in French soccer.
After 7 seasons at PSG, during which he scored 256 goals in 308 games, Mbappe joined Real Madrid, where he reportedly earns an annual salary of €30 million.
The verdict shows that even in elite professional sports, employment protection laws remain enforceable and athletes cannot be denied wages they are legally owed.
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