Former France international and ex-Real Madrid midfielder, Lassana Diarra, has launched a massive $76 million lawsuit against FIFA and the Belgian Football Association in a transfer dispute that could reshape global football regulations.
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According to reports from his lawyers at Dupont Hissel, Diarra is demanding €65 million gross (€35 million net) in damages after a decade-long legal battle over FIFA’s transfer rules. His claim comes after a ruling by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) last October, which declared that certain aspects of FIFA’s transfer system breach European Union labor and competition laws.
The 40-year-old, who also played for Chelsea, Arsenal, Marseille, and PSG, has accused FIFA of hindering his career after a bitter fallout with Russian club Lokomotiv Moscow. Following the dispute, FIFA ruled in favor of the Russian side, forcing Diarra and prospective club Charleroi to bear liability for breaking his contract.
Speaking in a statement released by his lawyers, Diarra explained his decision:
“I am doing this for myself. But I have also done it for all the up-and-coming, lesser-known players who do not have the financial and psychological means to challenge FIFA before real judges.”
FIFA, however, has declined to comment, only stating that it is “working with stakeholders to amend its regulations” in line with the ECJ’s ruling.
Diarra’s case has the backing of the global players’ union FIFPRO and its European affiliates, which have argued that FIFA’s transfer rules restrict free movement and undermine fair competition.
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The midfielder’s legal action is now before a Belgian court and could extend further as his lawyers also pursue a class action lawsuit that may benefit up to 100,000 footballers across Europe spanning two decades.
Diarra, who retired in 2019 after a final spell with Paris Saint-Germain, insists this fight is about more than personal justice:
“If I have been able to resist the FIFA steamroller, it is because I had a good career. But this is also about protecting the next generation of players.”
If successful, the lawsuit could mark one of the most significant financial blows to FIFA in modern history.
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