Lassana Diarra is now playing the longest match of his life, far from the pitch. The former French midfielder is demanding €65 million from football’s governing bodies, a figure that reflects lost years and a player’s battle against the system. Backed by unions, he hopes to turn his personal case into a collective victory that could reshape the future of transfers and redefine the balance of power between players and decision-makers.
Eleven years after leaving Lokomotiv Moscow, Lassana Diarra has raised the stakes against FIFA and the Belgian Football Federation: he is demanding €65 million gross, about €35 million net, with interest, as compensation for lost years of his career. His case, now before Belgian courts, is expected to be decided within 12 to 15 months. Backed by FIFPRO and the French players’ union UNFP, the former French international wants his fight to become a symbol of players standing up to football’s governing bodies.
This offensive builds on a landmark ruling: in October 2024, the European Court of Justice declared certain FIFA transfer rules unlawful, ruling that they violated the free movement of workers. That decision opened the door to claims for damages. For Diarra, the sanction imposed on him in 2014 after he unilaterally broke his contract with Lokomotiv Moscow to join Charleroi ,wrecked part of his career. Suspended and sidelined, he lost precious years and opportunities.
Today, his battle is no longer just personal. “I’m also fighting for less prominent players who don’t have the means to take on FIFA,” he said. If the Belgian court rules in his favor, the outcome will not only affect him: it could reshape the transfer market and shift power back toward thousands of footballers. For now, the game’s most decisive match is being played in court.
Joseph Kabuye , Correspondent , Kampala
