Real Madrid’s star Kylian Mbappé is taking legal action against his former club, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), for moral harassment, following a tumultuous exit in 2024. His legal team announced plans to pursue this case in April, with Mbappé alleging that PSG owes him €55 million (around $61 million) in unpaid wages, pointing to dissatisfaction over the club’s treatment during his last season.
After declining to renew his contract, the 2018 World Cup champion faced limited playtime during PSG’s 2023-24 season and was booed during his final game at Parc des Princes. The prosecutor’s office noted that the 26-year-old “denies” any claims of “lofting,” a term in France that refers to isolating a player due to management or disciplinary issues.
Mbappé joined PSG from Monaco in 2017 and helped the team win seven domestic Ligue 1 titles. Despite reaching the Champions League final in 2020, where they lost to Bayern Munich, he scored an impressive 256 goals in 308 appearances for the club. In 2022, PSG offered him a historic three-year deal worth €630 million (approximately $681 million), but Mbappé was reportedly dissatisfied as the promise of signing top players to join him was not fulfilled. Although he played alongside stars like Neymar and Lionel Messi from 2021 to 2023, the team struggled to achieve success beyond France.
In June 2023, he moved to Real Madrid on a free transfer without activating any player options, following a rocky exit that included being excluded from PSG’s tours in Japan and South Korea and training separately from the main squad. Despite initial tensions, he returned to play and scored 35 goals with three assists in his first season at Real Madrid.
Meanwhile, PSG clinched the Champions League title with a decisive 5-0 win against Inter in May. Even after departing, Mbappé emphasized that he did not feel “bitter” about the club’s success.
### Fan Take
This news highlights the intense drama and dynamics of high-profile soccer transfers, which can significantly impact player careers and team strategies. For fans, this case underscores the ongoing tension between individual aspirations and club loyalties, shaping the landscape of football in rich narratives that extend beyond the pitch.