A French court has ordered Paris Saint-Germain to pay star forward Kylian Mbappé approximately €60 million (around $65 million USD) in a significant legal victory for the player. The ruling stems from a protracted dispute over unpaid wages and bonuses following Mbappé’s departure from the club last summer to join Real Madrid on a free transfer.

The court found that PSG failed to disburse three months of Mbappé’s salary, along with his ethics and signing bonuses, amounting to the substantial sum now ordered. Mbappé’s initial claim had sought €240 million, encompassing damages and outstanding payments, while PSG countered by demanding compensation for the player’s rejected €300 million move to Saudi club Al-Hilal.

Representatives for Mbappé expressed satisfaction with the tribunal’s decision, emphasizing the principle that contractual obligations and salaries must be upheld within football, mirroring standards in other professional fields. They asserted that Mbappé fulfilled all his duties to PSG throughout his seven-year tenure with the Parisian giants.

The legal battle has been ongoing for over two years, during which Mbappé experienced periods of exclusion from the PSG squad. This followed his refusal to transfer to Saudi Arabia, though he was later reinstated. PSG had claimed Mbappé agreed to forfeit a portion of his end-of-contract payments, a notion vehemently denied by the player’s camp.

Further accusations from PSG suggested Mbappé acted improperly by not informing the club earlier of his decision not to extend his contract, leading to alleged financial losses for the club. Such disputes, while not commonplace, highlight the complex contractual relationships and potential for legal challenges within elite football transfers.

This court order underscores the legal recourse available to players when clubs fail to meet their financial commitments. While rare, similar cases have seen footballers successfully pursue clubs for unpaid wages, reinforcing the importance of contractual integrity in the sport.

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Keywords: Kylian Mbappe, PSG, court order, unpaid wages, football dispute, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, contract dispute