Lucas Ribeiro Costa Leaves Mamelodi Sundowns Amid Legal Battle

Lucas Ribeiro Costa Leaves Mamelodi Sundowns Amid Legal Battle

Lucas Ribeiro Costa Leaves Mamelodi Sundowns Amid Legal Battle

Lucas Ribeiro Costa has officially terminated his contract with Mamelodi Sundowns as he seeks to become the first footballer to benefit from Lassana Diarra's recent legal victory against FIFA.

The Brazilian forward, who scored the goal voted as the best of the FIFA Club World Cup against Borussia Dortmund in June, has also referred his case to the world football governing body.

The 26-year-old is represented by Belgian lawyer Jean-Louis Dupont, known for winning the landmark 1995 case involving Jean-Marc Bosman and who is also representing Diarra.

Diarra has been engaged in a prolonged legal battle with FIFA, and in October, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruled that certain FIFA transfer regulations violate European Union laws.

Following Diarra's termination of his contract with Lokomotiv Moscow in 2014, FIFA denied him an international transfer certificate (ITC) for a proposed move to Belgian club Charleroi in 2015.

The CJEU concluded that FIFA's rules "impede the free movement of professional footballers wishing to develop their careers by moving to new clubs." Since then, FIFA has revised its transfer regulations, while Diarra has resumed legal proceedings seeking £56 million in compensation.

Dupont states that Qatar SC made an offer for Ribeiro that was "well above the player’s valuation," and Ribeiro expressed a desire to join the Qatari top-flight club.

However, it is claimed that the South African champions "attempted to drive up the price repeatedly, without regard for the player’s personal interests, rendering the deal impossible." Ribeiro terminated his contract, which was set to expire in 2028, on August 1, and now feels he has "no other choice" but to defend his interests in a FIFA tribunal.

“Following the Diarra ruling by the CJEU, I am confident that the dispute with my former club will not hinder my career,” Ribeiro stated. “Indeed, under FIFA’s amended regulations, my future employer will be able to obtain the international transfer certificate immediately upon request.”

The statement also noted Ribeiro's willingness to escalate the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport or a state court, and mentioned that he has attracted interest from various clubs, including some in Europe.

“I will now consider what is best for my career to make the right decision,” Ribeiro added. “Importantly, following the Diarra ruling, my next employer will not be involved in the dispute between me and Mamelodi Sundowns, neither from a disciplinary nor a financial standpoint.”

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