Diarra is asking FIFA for €65 million in compensation.

Lassana Diarra has asked FIFA for €65 million in gross damages, €35 million net, almost a year after the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruling , which found that the world football confederation's rules were "contrary to EU law" and hindered free movement. The former France international terminated his contract with Lokomotiv Moscow in 2014 to join Charleroi, but was forced to pay €10.5 million to the Russian club, which sued him for lack of "just cause" for the termination.

The Battle of Diarra

Now, with the support of FIFpro , the world's footballers' union, Diarra has turned to the Belgian courts after negotiations with FIFA for a settlement proved "unsuccessful." "I've been forced to fight this legal battle since August 2014, more than 11 years," said Diarra, who is supported in the matter by lawyer Dupont , the same one who handled the Bosman ruling . "I'm doing it for myself," added the former Chelsea, Arsenal, Real Madrid, and PSG midfielder. "And if I've managed to resist FIFA's steamroller, it's because I've had a good career. But I've also done it for all the emerging, lesser-known players who lack the financial and psychological means to challenge FIFA before real judges."

Diarra stressed that FIFA and the Belgian Football Association "should have had the decency to contact me to propose an amicable resolution to the dispute, but this did not happen," revealing "a persistent culture of contempt for the rule of law and for players," despite the EU ruling.