Seminar on the Bosman case organized by the Spanish Footballers’ Association to mark the 30th anniversary of the ruling

The Spanish Footballers’ Association (AFE) supported the Belgian player’s claims from the outset, playing a decisive role in defending his rights. Their support not only strengthened Bosman’s cause, but also helped to place the labour rights of footballers at the centre of the legal and sporting debate.

The ruling, handed down by the Court of Justice of the European Union in 1995, marked a turning point in the transfer system and the free movement of workers within professional sport. Since then, players whose contracts had expired could change clubs without their original club receiving any compensation. In addition, quotas for foreign players from the European Union in European competitions were eliminated, radically transforming the composition of squads and the competitive balance in the continent’s leagues.