Jean-Marc Bosman

Who is Jean-Marc Bosman?

Jean-Marc Bosman is a former Belgian footballer, whose judicial challenge of the football transfer rules led to the Bosman ruling in 1995. This landmark judgement completely changed the way footballers are employed, allowing professional players in the European Union to move freely to another club at the end of their term of contract with their present team.

Prior to the landmark trial, Bosman played for Belgian first division club Standard de Liège and RFC Liège and won 20 caps for Belgium at youth level. While the trial was ongoing Bosman played briefly in the French lower leagues, and on the Indian Ocean island of Réunion.

Since Bosman won his case, it was claimed by The Sun that he has lost the money he won from his case and has descended into alcoholism and depression whilst living on social benefits. Some of his money was lost due to a bad investment in a special T-shirt line. Bosman hoped that the players who benefited from the Bosman ruling would support him by buying one of his T-shirts. He sold only one, to the son of his lawyer. In order to pay his taxes, he was forced to sell his second house and his Porsche Carrera.