Paris, June 27 — French football star Kylian Mbappé has filed a legal complaint against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), accusing the club of “moral harassment” and seeking $61 million in allegedly unpaid wages.
The Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed on Thursday that it had received the complaint, which escalates a deepening feud between the former PSG forward and the Ligue 1 champions.
Mbappé, who now plays for Spanish giants Real Madrid, claims that PSG subjected him to unfair and isolating treatment during the summer of 2023 after he informed the club he would not be extending his contract.
The France national team captain further alleges that PSG used coercive tactics to pressure him into either signing a new deal or accepting a lucrative transfer to Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal — an offer he declined.
The legal filing specifically references the French practice known as “lofting,” in which a player is separated from the main squad for sporting, disciplinary, or administrative reasons.
Mbappé claims he was a victim of this practice when PSG left him out of their high-profile pre-season tour to Japan and South Korea and relegated him to training with reserve and fringe players.
According to Mbappé’s legal team, this treatment constituted a deliberate effort to isolate and intimidate the forward, infringing upon his rights as a contracted employee.
The $61 million wage claim, they argue, stems from bonuses and salary payments that were withheld during the final months of his PSG tenure.
While PSG has not yet publicly responded to the latest legal developments, the club has previously maintained that its decisions were based on strategic and financial considerations.
Club officials have argued that allowing Mbappé to run down his contract without renewal or a transfer fee would have inflicted a significant economic loss, especially after rejecting a world-record bid from Al Hilal.
The situation marked a turning point in Mbappé’s turbulent final year with the Parisian club. Despite being reintegrated into the squad after tensions cooled in August 2023, the forward’s relationship with PSG management remained strained throughout the season.
His eventual free transfer to Real Madrid in 2024 ended a seven-year stint in the French capital that saw Mbappé win multiple Ligue 1 titles and become one of the most marketable athletes in the world.
Legal experts suggest that the case could have significant implications for how football clubs treat players in contract disputes, particularly regarding the controversial use of “lofting.”
If the court finds that PSG’s actions constituted moral harassment, it may set a precedent for player protections under French labor law.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid has not commented on the case, and Mbappé has remained focused on his performance at the ongoing international tournaments.
However, his decision to take legal action against his former club signals a desire to not only recover unpaid wages but also challenge what he sees as systemic mistreatment in elite football.
The Paris prosecutor’s office said the complaint is under review, with no immediate timeline provided for a decision.
