FIFA told to pay €65m by ex-Arsenal, Chelsea & Real Madrid star who won landmark court case against governing body

Diarra’s legal saga dates back to a bitter dispute with his former club, Lokomotiv Moscow, in 2014. After a disagreement over his salary, Diarra’s contract was terminated. Diarra was subsequently ordered by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to pay Lokomotiv a staggering €10m for breach of contract. This ruling, combined with FIFA’s regulations, created what his lawyers called “unforeseeable and potentially very high financial risks” for any club that wanted to sign him. This legal entanglement effectively halted Diarra’s career, as a promising move to Belgian side Sporting Charleroi was cancelled, leaving him unable to play professional football for over a year.