Kylian Mbappé Accuses Former Club of Moral Harassment
In a shocking turn of events, Kylian Mbappé, the star forward of Real Madrid, has filed a legal complaint against his former club, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), accusing them of moral harassment. The Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed the filing on Thursday, revealing a deep-seated dispute between Mbappé and his former employer.
At the heart of the matter is Mbappé’s claim that PSG owes him 55 million euros ($61 million) in unpaid wages. However, the issue goes beyond mere finances. Mbappé is also unhappy with the way he was treated by the Ligue 1 club when he decided not to extend his contract before the 2023-24 season. The prosecutor’s office stated that Mbappé is "denouncing the ‘lofting’ he claimed to have been subjected to at Paris Saint-Germain," a practice in France that involves isolating a player from the main squad for sporting, administrative, or disciplinary reasons.
The relationship between Mbappé and PSG has been strained for some time. Despite scoring a club-record 256 goals in seven years at PSG, Mbappé’s decision not to extend his contract led to tensions with the club. Some fans even booed him in his last home game at Parc des Princes. PSG felt betrayed by Mbappé’s decision, especially after offering him the most lucrative contract in club history in 2022.
However, Mbappé felt that promises made by the club to sign key players were not kept. When he signed the contract, he was paraded in front of fans holding up a jersey with 2025 on it, leading him to believe that he would be staying with the club for an additional year. However, the contract was only until 2024, with a player’s option for an extra season. Mbappé’s decision not to take the option led to a tense transfer standoff, with PSG eventually losing him to Real Madrid on a free transfer.
The situation took a turn for the worse when Mbappé was left off a preseason tour to Japan and South Korea and forced to train with fringe players. PSG said they would rather sell him than let him leave for free in 2024, but Mbappé rejected a 300 million euros move to Saudi Arabia team Al-Hilal. Although he eventually returned to the lineup after talks, the damage had already been done. Mbappé’s legal team announced in April that they would be taking action against PSG for harassment, citing the way he was treated during this period.
As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the legal proceedings will play out. One thing is certain, however: the rift between Mbappé and PSG is deep and unlikely to be resolved anytime soon. The incident serves as a reminder of the complexities and challenges that can arise in the high-stakes world of professional sports.
