Lucas Ribeiro ordered to pay Mamelodi Sundowns US$4 million

FIFA has ordered Brazilian footballer Lucas Ribeiro to pay US$4 million (approximately R74.6 million) to South African club Mamelodi Sundowns following a contract dispute. The ruling comes after Ribeiro sought to leave the club in 2025 despite being under contract.

During his tenure with Sundowns, Ribeiro was a standout performer, earning the Premier Soccer League Player of the Season award for the 2024/25 campaign. His legal team had previously attempted to invoke the Lassana Diarra case to argue for greater player mobility, but FIFA has reportedly rejected these arguments.

While Ribeiro has since played for Cultural Leonesa in Spain and currently plays for Espérance de Tunis in Tunisia, the legal battle has continued. The player has been given a 45-day deadline to settle the compensation; failure to comply could result in professional sanctions or a football-related ban.