FIFA settles $75M transfer claim from former France player Lassana Diarra with no payment

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Former France midfielder Lassana Diarra sued FIFA for 65 million euros ($75 million) and settled the case without payment, the soccer body said on Monday.

The one-time Arsenal, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain player claimed damages last year from FIFA and the Belgian soccer federation after getting a landmark ruling on transfer regulations from the European Union’s top court in 2024.

“Following the global agreement they have reached, Mr. Lassana Diarra and FIFA have settled all legal proceedings between them,” FIFA said in a statement.

“FIFA has not made any admission of liability nor payment by way of compensation.”

It was unclear on Monday if the settlement could affect a class action suit pursued by Diarra’s lawyers against FIFA arising from the European case in Luxembourg.

Diarra’s lawyers at Belgian firm Dupont Hissel were approached for comment.

Diarra and FIFA have been in legal disputes since his breakdown in relations with former club Lokomotiv Moscow in 2014.

FIFA and the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled in favor of the Russian club that Diarra terminated his contract without just cause. It meant Diarra and any club that wanted to sign him were liable to pay 10.5 million euros ($12.1 million).

Diarra challenged the FIFA-managed global transfer market rules in a case that reached the European Court of Justice. There, judges said some FIFA rules breached EU competition law and the free movement of players.

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