On December 15, 1995, the Court of Justice of the European Union gave a decision that would definitely change the world of football. It was the moment that revolutionized the sport.
On December 15, 1995, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled in favor of Jean-Marc Bosman, a modestly-paid Belgian footballer, in his contract battle that began five years earlier in 1990.
After reaching the end of his contract with RFC Liège, the midfielder wanted a free transfer to French club Dunkerque. He earned that right
“Erga omnes”, meaning applicable to all, meant that the benefits gained by the Belgian midfielder quickly spread to other footballers.
Today, 30 years after the law that bears his name, football fans in every corner of Europe are still unsure whether Jean-Marc Bosman embodied progress in labor law or a definitive loss of innocence, both interpreted in footballing terms.
