Kylian Mbappe Wins Legal Battle for Unpaid Salary and Bonuses
Kylian Mbappe is set to gain an additional 60 million euros (£52.5 million) following a legal victory over unpaid salary and bonuses against his former club, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).
One notable aspect of Mbappe's legal success is the requirement for PSG to pay him 1.5 million euros (£1.3 million) in "ethics bonus" payments.
While the concept of an ethics bonus may seem unusual to football fans in the UK, it is a standard component of professional athletes' contracts in France.
The ethics bonus has garnered attention previously, particularly when details of Neymar's contract with PSG were disclosed by the Spanish newspaper El Mundo.
Neymar's contract included a monthly ethics payment of 541,680 euros (£475,876), while Mbappe's bonus was valued at 500,000 euros (£438,000) per month.
Reports highlighted clauses in Neymar's contract that mandated him to demonstrate "courtesy, friendliness, and availability to supporters" and to greet fans before and after each match.
However, the reality behind the ethics bonus is quite different.
Understanding the 'Ethics Bonus'
In English football, clubs can fine players up to two weeks' wages for misconduct. In contrast, French law prohibits any deductions from a worker's salary, prompting sports teams to incorporate a portion of it as an ethics bonus. Thus, the base wage and the ethics bonus together constitute a player's total salary.
In 2021, reports suggested Neymar received extra compensation for engaging with fans, but the specifics reveal a different narrative.
Neymar was expected to conduct himself responsibly towards sponsors and referees, arrive at training punctually, and refrain from gambling. Essentially, it served as a moral framework.
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire explained to BBC Sport, "Clubs are very keen to protect their image. They want to avoid any negative publicity, which is why they implement good behaviour clauses. We have seen similar instances with athletes like Tiger Woods and Lance Armstrong, who also had moral clauses with sponsors. Thus, behavioural clauses are quite common in sports."
In 2018, Marco Verratti had part of his ethics bonus withheld after being caught drink-driving, while Hatem Ben Arfa lost his bonus for failing to attend PSG's mid-season training camp in Qatar. In 2023, Lionel Messi faced penalties from PSG for an unauthorized trip to Saudi Arabia. Additionally, rugby union club Racing 92 retained winger Teddy Thomas's ethics bonus for February following an incident after a Six Nations match between France and Scotland.
Star Players and Bonus Payments
Bonuses have become a significant aspect of player contracts, encompassing loyalty payments received annually on the anniversary of a player's signing, as well as image rights and goal bonuses.
Maguire noted, "Contracts that were once scribbled on the back of a napkin have evolved into substantial investments involving multiple stakeholders, including the club, the agent, the management company, the player, and often the player's intellectual property rights company."
He added, "I have seen contracts from some of the top clubs that include 25% increases for participation in the Champions League." The world's elite players are in such high demand that they can earn substantial additional income through their image rights, potentially reaching up to 60% of their basic salary with further bonuses on top of that.