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TO THE BOOK

Uncontrolled flows of money, gamblers turned into mere commodities,

non-transparent corporate genres from top footballers and player advisors -
Football Leaks reveals how dirty business is ubiquitous
Pro football are. The SPIEGEL editors Rafael tell gripping stories
Buschmann and Michael Wulzinger, as they did with the help of the whistleblower
John exclusive insights into the secret contracts and agreements
between players, agents and clubs and the dark ones
Uncovering the secrets of the football business. Football Leaks is a journey
to the depths of an uninhibited and greedy industry.

THE AUTHOR

Rafael Buschmann, born 1982 in Zabrze, Poland, studied in

Münster and New Delhi / India German studies, psychology, sports and
Pedagogy. Since 2010 he has been a reporter in SPIEGEL's sports department
ONLINE before he switched to SPIEGEL in 2013. There he mainly writes
about the national soccer team, match xing, money ows in soccer,
Right-wing extremism in sport as well as the ultra and hooligan scene. For the
Revelation story about the presumably bought world championship
In 2006 (»The Destroyed Summer Tale«) he won with his colleagues
2016 the Henri Nannen Prize.

Michael Wulzinger, born in Dortmund in 1965, studied history,

Political science and German studies in Freiburg and Seville and came to
Stations at the daily newspaper " Die Rheinpfalz " and the " Badischen"
Newspaper « 1997 into the sports department of SPIEGEL. From 2009 to 2016 he was
Head of the sports department, since then he has been working in the Germany department
with a focus on investigative research.

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RAFAEL BUSCHMANN AND

MICHAEL WULZINGER

FOOTBALL
LEAKS
The dirty business
in pro football

German publishing company

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The content of this e-book is protected by copyright and contains technical

Security measures against unauthorized use. The removal of this fuse as well
the use through unauthorized processing, duplication, distribution or public
Making them available, especially in electronic form, is prohibited and can be punishable by law and
result in civil law sanctions.

The publisher expressly points out that the text contains external links from the publisher
could only be viewed up to the time the book was published. To later
The publisher has no influence whatsoever on changes. The publisher is therefore liable
locked out.

1st edition
Copyright © 2017 Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt, Munich, in the Random publishing group
House GmbH, Neumarkter Strasse 28, 81 673 Munich, and SPIEGEL-Verlag, Hamburg,
Ericusspitze 1, 20 457 Hamburg
Cover: Jorge Schmidt office, Munich
Cover image : © Getty Images
Typography and typesetting: DVA / Andrea Mogwitz
Set from the Minion
ISBN 978-3-641-21399-2
V001

www.dva.de

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CONTENT

prolog
The Revelers
Inshallah, kings!
The search
The tax tourists
The breakthrough
Temporary serfs
The crisis
Can indulge
The money sprinklers
The mountain of data
Hawked darlings
Unruly
The golden shot
The place of refuge
Big money
The prisoner
The partners
On the silk road
Swiss septic tanks
In the tax haven
The visit
Documents of greed
Celebrate and ask
epilogue

thanksgiving
register

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PROLOG

On December 2, 2016, SPIEGEL appeared with a cover story that

had two different covers. On one was Cristiano's face
To see Ronaldos, on the other the face of Mesut Özil, two
World stars of football. In her eyes the euro symbols shone
The headline was "The Money Masters". In the he found themselves to both players
great revelations about their dubious tax ethics.
In the following issue, the magazine did another one
Cover story showing the secret contracts of pros in football
Bundesliga illuminated. In dozens of other stories in the he,
appeared on SPIEGEL ONLINE and on SPIEGEL TV, was popular with readers
and bystanders the dark, the dirty, the criminal side of the
Billionaire business football shown.
It was about a sports marketing agency with the most important
Clubs in Europe do business and have close ties in the
Southeast European underworld takes care of. It was about players' agents who
famous South American pros at clubs like Real Madrid, Juventus
Turin or Manchester United represented and with the help of straw men
Consultant fees for transfers and contract extensions in
double-digit millions on accounts of a company in the British
Virgin Islands, a tax haven in the Caribbean. It was about
the particularly disgusting trade in underage talent
Developing countries who dream of a great career and which
advised wrong people. It was about financiers who were unscrupulous in
Invested transfer rights of players and their only interest in it
was to get the greatest possible pro t from their investment. In many
Contributions were about the apparently everyday business in football,
one of the most colorful branches of the global entertainment industry:
about secret collateral agreements, about favors in six and
seven-digit euro range to toggle contracts, the suspicion of
Infidelity, suspicion of fraud. It was always about money, and always

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it was also about greed.

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ForThis was made

football, possible platform
the disclosure by insights into theLeaks",
"Football darkrooms of the
which will take place in September
2015 started to put industry-specific information online -
Original contracts, strictly confidential clauses, cash flows. But then it was
Suddenly quiet on the Football Leaks page: One of the makers had
decided to cooperate with SPIEGEL and the news
To leave a huge data set of 1.9 terabytes to the magazine. Where from
the material originates cannot be clearly identified. It comes from
numerous countries, openly from associations, clubs, consultancy agencies,
Corporations. One thing is certain: there is not just one source of origin for
the documents. A decisive argument in favor of passing on the data
From the perspective of Football Leaks, it wasn't just individual steps
could be published, but that the possibility existed that
Stories and contexts behind the numbers and contracts too
tell.
Because this dataset contains 18.6 million documents, the decision was made
DER SPIEGEL, the treasure with its partners from the research network
European Investigative Collaborations (EIC). To the network
belong to the media houses »Mediapart« in France, »NRC Handelsblad«
in the Netherlands, »Politiken« in Denmark, »Le Soir« in Belgium,
"L'Espresso" in Italy, "El Mundo" in Spain, "NewsWeek" in Serbia,
»Falter« in Austria and »RCIJ / e Black Sea« in Romania. Reinforced
the investigative project was also carried out by "e Sunday Times" in
Great Britain and "Expresso" in Portugal.
60 reporters and documentaries, as well as IT experts and lawyers, worked
For seven months on an X-ray of the billion dollar business
Football like never before. This book describes how to do it
in addition. And it tells the story of the informant who deals with the
most powerful representatives of an uninhibited and always ineffective
emerging industry. He is a young man from Portugal who
lives without a permanent residence in Eastern Europe, intelligent, daring, driven,
rushed, wavering between fearlessness and despair
Football romantic, passionate fan.

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Someone who couldn't stand, as he says of himself, that the

The industry is riddled with unscrupulous businessmen. As one
his main motivations for Football Leaks, the biggest data leak in the world
History of sport, he denotes his anger: the anger at the pro expensive
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of the dirty money that football attracts and moves. He calls her
"The enemies of the game", his campaign is aimed at them, he wants to expose them,
expose, convict, with irrefutable facts: contracts and
Subsidiary agreements, bank statements, invoices. The enemies of the game are
now his too, he went from hunter to hunted.
Four chapters of this book deal with the people and subjects around which it is concerned
already in SPIEGEL: Cristiano Ronaldo, the unscrupulous
Sports marketer doyen, the greed of the player agents and the secret ones
Clauses of player contracts. These stories have been reissued
partly with information and documents that we received after the December
Publications in SPIEGEL were leaked. Eight more chapters,
which are published here also come from the material of
Football Leaks. They give new insights into the football industry.
Two stories shed light on so-called ird party ownership
(TPO), the participation now banned by the world football association Fifa
Third party to the transfer rights of football pros, one of which plays in
Ho enheim. She describes how a company is owned by the patron Dietmar
Hopp was involved, acquired transfer rights to players in his club, such as
the Brazilian international Firmino, who was responsible for the record transfer of
40 million euros moved to Liverpool. The other story
deals with the Spanish top club Atlético Madrid, whose
Club boss for years the best players in his squad to one
opaque mutual fund, behind which the
Portuguese advisor Jorge Mendes is stuck.
The Adidas group is one of the most influential players in the
worldwide marketing of football. Confirm confidential documents with
what sums and what contracts the sporting goods giant has
the most popular clubs and the most prominent stars - and how
the billions of payments of the group from Herzogenaurach the sporty
Undermine competition in the long term.

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Financially, clubs like Real Madrid and Manchester United are two
Adidas clubs, long removed from most of their competitors in Europe. How
far, that is revealed by three contributions. One of them is about the champions
League bonuses from the Real Stars and one also with the title win
associated thirteen million euro clause in her coach's contract
Zinedine Zidane. Another contribution covers the salary of the best-paid

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Player of the English Premier League, Sweden's Zlatan

Ibrahimović. A third contribution sheds light on the € 105 million
Transfer of his teammate Paul Pogba to Manchester United,
the most expensive player in the world. Pogba's adviser Mino Raiola acted for
the French paid adventurous sums of money in the summer of 2016. Also for
Raiola made Pogba's transfer the deal of his life, he cashed
49 million euros. In the intoxication of the money, the super advisor then raised
openly. Football Leaks' documents show that Raiola was owned by
three parties conceded: from Pogba's old club Juventus Turin, from Pogbas
new club Manchester United and from Pogba himself.
The market is unleashed like never before, and the biggest money is luring in
China, as another story in this book describes. In the material
From Football Leaks the evidence can be found: dozens of employment contracts
with pros like the Argentines Ezequiel Iván Lavezzi or Carlos Tévez, the
guarantee the old stars obscene salaries - up to $ 56.7 million
net for less than two years.
But the longing goals remain for the best young players in the world
the English Premier League, the Spanish Primera División, the
Italian Serie A or the German Bundesliga. To jump into one
To create these countries, the coveted talents have to be found out of sheer necessity
make frequent deals with the bosses of their old clubs. Rumors about
Club officials who are involved in selling players in the best leagues
Enrich Europe, have been circulating for years. Football Leaks delivers on this
Comprehensive evidence from clubs in the Balkans affects players like the
Alen Halilović from Hamburger SV, Mijat Gaćinović from
Eintracht Frankfurt, Tin Jedvaj from Bayer Leverkusen. At the center of this
Dinamo Zagreb is one of the most famous of its kind. One reigned in the club
Family clan who receive transfer fees via a network of letters

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tens of millions moved abroad - to Hong Kong,

to Dubai, to Malta, to Switzerland.
Pro football has always been an opaque industry, one
Industry that is easy to forget and easy to forgive. When the heroes
evading taxes of the club is different for fans than if
Politicians or business bosses evade taxes. The passion that
What is involved is fear as well as hope, the force of the crowd, longing
after redemption, the perpetual motion machine of feelings, all of this has one

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The
Clubpower of seduction
presidents that overcomes
enrich themselves. One the power that
suspected of the mind.agents
player One suspected
were the that
Clutter pockets. One suspected that transfer fees would end up in tax havens
and that pros nested company structures for theirs
Have built up advertising revenue.
That is why the revelations through Football Leaks are so threatening to
the business because they make the difference between hunch and certainty
mean. Because Football Leaks argues with facts from the original
Documents. The clearer it becomes how rotting the Pro football system
In fact, how grotesquely overpaid the players and advisors is, how corrupt
prominent club representatives, the further the illusion theater moves from the
The reality of life of the fans removed, the sooner they could become
turn away at some point.
Football is a wonderful game. But the patience of the people who
love this game and those who pay for it is not limitless.

Hamburg, April 2017

Rafael Buschmann and Michael Wulzinger

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THE UNVEILERS

There he stands, the invisible one, the phantom, the man who has no traces
leaves behind. At last. For months we could only write to each other. First
he didn't answer at all, then hesitantly and irregularly. In the mail
there was only the bare essentials, short sentences, hardly any details.
He's not a person who trusts easily, that quickly becomes clear. You can
hardly blame him either. After all, he's on the run, hiding from him
the underworld, from private detectives and the police. Any mistake could be him
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expose. It is understandable that someone like that takes a long time to get out of the
Dare to take cover. Well, in February 2016, he wrote, he had to do something
discuss with us personally. It is urgent.
Our first meeting will be in a city in Eastern Europe.
Outside there is snow, inside, in the small hotel room, it is hot and
stuffy. The heating cannot be turned down. No
Feel-good atmosphere.
How should we even address him? Doesn't even have a name
he called us. "Call me John," he says.
So this is how it begins, the adventure that takes us in a month-long journey
will lead to the abyss of the football industry. John is Football Leaks.
The little website that has been causing such a buzz for a while is
his mouthpiece. His data are his voice, they generate force, vom
first day.
Football Leaks appears out of nowhere on the Internet. Back then
without reference to John or any of the makers and also without explanation
or manifest, just a website with documents. end of September
The first contracts appear in 2015, they document wild ones
Transfer deals with young players give indications of disreputable ones
Agreements between club presidents and players' agents, some of which
should even have split commission payments among each other,
so-called kickbacks, dirty deals that have been around for a long time
suspects that they are an integral part of the industry. Now these are available

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Secrets open on the net.

Portugal is the first to be hit. The documents that, plop, on the football
Leaks homepage appear come from inside Ben ca and
Sporting Lisbon, later also from FC Porto, the three leading clubs of the
Country. The documents seem real, they are
countersigned, they bear paraphs and stamps, their content is strict
confidential: company secrets, classified information, papers for the
Gi closet. Where did that stuff come from?
Football Leaks does not comment on this, instead the website flushes out
more and more documents on the Internet, readable and downloadable
for each. The revelations are not just one for the football industry
Provocation, but also an acute threat. »Nobody knows exactly
what's going on right now, but everyone knows that they don't want to be the next «,

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says a functionary of a European soccer club of the »New York

Times «. The man does not give his name - not about the group
to challenge unnecessarily.
John, the stranger from the depths of the Internet, sits next to it
Time somewhere in the world in front of his computer and having fun
splendid. He reads speculation in the fan forums and the media about who
or whatever Football Leaks should be: an individual, a group, a
Employee of the Portuguese League, a former employee of the
World Federation Fifa. Or maybe a former player agent who does it
Want to get back on your competitors, maybe even the whole industry? What
are the motives of the person responsible? Revenge? Greed?
Madness? Do you feel like provocation? Lots of questions, wild speculation.
Only one thing is beyond dispute: Own the revelations on the Football Leaks page
an enormous explosive force. You're a frontal attack on that
Billions in football.
In the economy and in politics, even in the churches there was in the
In the past there were repeated leaks, i.e. large amounts of data that were sent to the
Public came and caused an uproar. But in sports? In Football?
The Football Leaks revelations are a first. The attacker
Whistleblowers find the industry completely unprepared. Who the football
Reading leaks documents can only conclude that the

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Pro football never expected its dirty secrets

could come out into the open at some point.
In the past few years the industry has become increasingly evident
developed in a parallel world, with very own ideas of law and
Law, decency and morality. The millions and billions made by fans
Sponsors and television companies have washed into the market
possibly inevitable to arrogance and overconfidence
have to lead - to the point of megalomania.
The entertainment industry, football, is of social importance
that extends far beyond the game. When it comes to political and
economic interests of the industry, comes to the lobbyists of the
Football is not passed by representatives of the people - regardless of whether questions of tax law, new ones
Surrender regulations for corporations or state grants for
Stadium constructions are on the agenda.
Pro football is very close to power and the mighty
The boundaries between politics and the economy are running out. Chancellor Angela
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Merkel visits the German national team. To choose the new one
The national coach Joachim Löw and the will also be federal presidents
Head of the German Football League, Reinhard Rauball, invited. The
President of the German Football Association, Reinhard Grindel, was
Member of the German Bundestag, the chief executives of the
Telekom and Audi sit on the Bavarian supervisory board
Munich. And if the world association Fifa won the contract for one
Awards the world championship, even the emir of Qatar personally follows
Zurich.
But when politics and business are close to almost everywhere in the world
Look for football because it lets you shine, who controls then
actually still this branch? The media? Independent journalism
fights football with severity and exclusion. The press offices
only allow talks with the athletes and officials if
at the end of every word that is written, they double-read and when in doubt
can also change. There is direct, undisguised proximity to the actors
hardly for reporters, especially since personal media consultants too
and players' agents want to have a say in the public image of the football team.

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Reporters who do not allow themselves to be captured, who sniff too much, who
want to describe reality and not the carefully constructed image,
are put under pressure and not infrequently booted out. The pro football
can be very uncomfortable, you could also say: manipulative.
Critical journalists o no more interviews, are not allowed to
Participate in background discussions, and it also happens that the clubs
the accreditation, i.e. the work permit, without warning,
revoke. Court writers have no problems. Threaten the other
even a house ban.
The situation is simple: football has now grown so big, so
it is important that he no longer needs the media. Everything that clubs,
Associations, officials and players have to say they can about
YouTube, Twitter and Facebook say - unfiltered and unchecked. In addition
Every weekend, millions of fans sit in the stadium and in front of them
the TV sets and get a reality served that the industry
also want to show. The European football association Uefa is now leaving
so far that he rioted at European championships
Cut hooligans out of the broadcast. They harm the product.
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Is there anyone at all who can

self-righteous industry controlled? The judiciary? The police? Sometimes yes.
In most cases: no. The football industry has enough
Resources to enlist the best lawyers, tax professionals and
To provide business consultants. Their tasks are clearly defined: You
need to find solutions to keep crooked, dirty deals clean and legal
to appear.
The Football Leaks data will make it clear to almost everyone
Above-average earning players are now taking part
holds one or more companies. Especially in Spain or
England are founded especially for the kicker, which the money for
whose advertising rights are owed. The clubs also work on these
Labyrinthine corporate structures often found in tax havens in the
The South Seas or the Caribbean. Nesting, fogging, hiding
serves only one goal: tax minimization. From gross if possible
Making a lot of net income seems to be the basic instinct of everyone involved, and so on

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it happens that in football there is hardly a large amount of money ows a clear,
takes a straight course.
Investigators following a promising lead quickly toast
its borders: those of the nation states. Players move from one country to another
next and from one continent to another, consultant fees
can be paid anywhere, even to the smallest bank on the
most remote island - including the many tax havens where dirty
Money is quickly turned into clean. Police and
Public prosecutors have to swoon these machinations
watch. The judiciary is still very country-specific, German
Tax investigators check according to German law, French law
French, and the exchange between the authorities of individual countries
is surprisingly difficult even in a globalized world. Some
Legal assistance to countries in Africa, South America or the Caribbean
are not worth the effort - every police officer in Bochum or Bordeaux
knows that such inquiries are not even answered.
Know the highly paid finance and tax experts in the football world
these vulnerabilities and they are pros at fixing the holes in the system too
use. A dubious transfer becomes a German one
First division teams at a company in the British Virgin Islands are very common

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Receipt of payment on the account of a player's agent. As long as football

can regulate his business in such a clandestine manner, he is almost immeasurable.
Following this logic, football has long had its own set of rules
created a universe that simulates order and control in the
Business in the industry should as far as possible not have any external authority
interfere. The associations have set up entire departments and staffs,
who issue the licenses for the pro clubs. Among other things
Check whether a club has run cleanly and seriously, whether the balance sheets
vote and who invests in the club. In the associations also arise
Increased ethics committees and compliance teams who do all deals
should monitor and warn of possible conflicts of interest. The
Football Leaks documents will make it clear that much of this is just
Facade is.
Revelations about the corruption orgies at the world association Fifa or

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the summer fairy tales at the DFB have the credibility of

Football industry has been badly battered recently. It's supposed to be a sign of
Show determination and regain lost trust
when associations suddenly employ anti-corruption officers and
Associations are committed to the rules of good corporate governance. Looks
here, goes the message, we understand - we are changing ours
Business conduct, we ensure transparency. Only: who likes it
believe that such a damaged environment will grow out of itself
can renew?
At least not the makers of Football Leaks. And while the world
In autumn 2015 it is still puzzling who the operators of the platform are
the whistleblower already the next attack. It should show that it is in
Everyone can meet in the future, far beyond Portugal. That no internal
Document is more secure in the football business. That Football Leaks don't
lets loose. And that the invisible doers are not afraid of it either
have to deal with the dark side of money.

TWENTE ENSCHEDE - A PUPPET

In the fall of 2015, Football Leaks published two in a matter of days

Contracts. Each contract in itself is worth a scandal.
Taken together, however, they will become a top Dutch club

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almost to doom.
Europe-wide Football
attention forLeaks comes
the first time.toThe
theagreements include so
as well as anything that slowly but relentlessly destroys pro football.
The first contract, signed on February 25, 2014 between Twente
Enschede and the sports marketer Doyen Sports is about one
Investor model that Fifa will ban a little later, from May 2015.
The so-called ird party ownership, or TPO for short, is a kind of bet on
People. In a nutshell: An investor buys shares in the
Transfer rights of a mostly young player and relies on the
Will perform so well that its market value increases.
If the club then sells the player, the investor collects one
Return. This is the simplest option.

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However, TPO can also be constructed as a labyrinthine construct in which

In particular, highly indebted clubs can get lost. As in the case
Twente Enschede. The Dutch club has been in its 50th year
History celebrated only mediocre successes, only through one
Multi-million dollar cash injection from the noble fan and official Joop
Munsterman come the triumphs: Twente invests a lot of money in the
own squad, will become Dutch champions in 2010, qualify
then for the Champions League. It's holidays.
But the party will soon end. The club has
taken over, the squad is too expensive, the expenses for the players are overwhelming
the club. Twente would have to play in the premier class every year to win
To be able to pay salaries approximately. Just bad luck: The club never created it
to qualify for the Champions League again. At the beginning of 2014 is the
Club heavily in debt. But instead of reflecting on the expensive players too
selling and betting on its own youth, Twente is going a way that
typical for all the false and hollow promises in pro football:
The club bosses get involved with a dubious investor.
Doyen Sports, a sports rights rma based in London and Malta,
acquires shares in the transfer rights of five Twente players. Almost all
Pros are still at the beginning of their careers. Twente is known throughout Europe
for its great youth education, in previous years the club
some players sell for tens of millions. The investor smells
big business Twente collects a one-off payment for this deal:
five million euros. Peanuts. The association, it seems, is doing in this phase
all for fresh, quick money. There is hardly any other explanation why
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clear-thinking people sign such a contract.

Because Doyen not only pays when Twente sells one of the players.
No, Doyen also includes so much small print in the contracts that it can
the use of this column of pushers practically increased during sleep - that
Economic risk is actually only ever borne by Twente. Even if the
If the player's market value rushes into the basement, Doyen receives a share
His money back: In the case of striker Luc Castaignos, the sum is up
in the first year of the contract at 1.5 million euros and increases for each additional year
Playing time by ten percent. Twente has to pay the money even if

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the player would become disabled and would never be able to play football again.
Doyen would also continue to earn money if the pro moved on to another
Association would be awarded. In addition, the club that burned down signs one
Clause according to which he informs investors about all offers, negotiations or
even just another club's interest in one of the players
must inform immediately.
But that's not all. Already on December 27, 2013, so around two
Months before that five million deal, Twente and Doyen have one
another agreement signed. This document also reveals football
Leaks.
This contract has a crucial clause, according to which the association
obliged to pay Doyen even if he violates the request
the investor rejects a transfer. A toggle contract. Because not that
From now on, the club, not the sporting leadership, will have more control over it
Team and cadre composition, but in fact the investor,
the one with the club's internal decisions actually nothing at all
should have to do. Such a deal not only undermines that
entire sporting competition, which also drives the club into a clause
Situation in which he can only lose - in order not to pay Doyen off
Twente are almost forced to sell their best players.
Apart from the fatal consequences from a sporting point of view, such a thing
Construct, we also ask about the agreement between Twente and Doyen
on that unite the morals of the game and the handling of pros with theirs
Discuss fans. How can you justify it as an association to make profits with
to earn the jersey sales of the players - and at the same time
to hope for their departure and high transfer proceeds? How must fans
Feel involved in any major renewal marketing projects

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suggest that a gamer will definitely do that in the years to come

Will wear the jersey of the respective club - but the clubs at the same time
one investor promise that the player the next
Leap in performance and a good offer? It is pure
Cynicism: on the one hand, exploiting the loyalty and loyalty of fans,
on the other hand, to believe that nobody will notice.
Until the contracts are published by Football Leaks

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not only the fans clueless. Also the Dutch Football Association
KNVB has no clue of this seedy investor construct.
Twente has only submitted the second contract to the association, the
the association and its investor keep the first under lock and key.
After Football Leaks makes the documents public, he needs
KNVB did not take long to evaluate this agreement: it was immoral.
And thus forbidden.
While the fans of Twente are against the immoral business behavior
protest of their club, Doyen and the club try to get them
immediate termination of the contract. But also this evasive maneuver
Football Leaks does not remain hidden, the documents are found again
the website of the revelers, including sensitive emails sent by the doyen
Sports director Nélio Lucas, who will be mentioned here a lot
is sent to his staff: “Let's not waste any time, it is
very important that they give us something this year and as soon as possible
Pay. « Investors will collect 3.3 million euros when the
Contract.
For Twente, however, things are only getting really big. Initially withdraws
the association gave the club the license for the first division. After some
Procedure, the decision is toned down, but for it
Twente has strict financial regulations and a three-year ban for Europeans
Competitions boomed. In addition, the club has to pay a fine of 180,000 euros
numbers. Instead of saving for its financial problems, the club itself
promised of the deal with Doyen, he is now much worse off than
before.
Twente Enschede, the small Dutch club, was just one
Exception? Too easy a victim for investors to exclude
to let? Unfortunately, no. Rather, this case only provides an initial insight into
the abyss of football. And Doyen, an investor who hadn't even done before
was a term for those familiar with the scene, is representative of all of them
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Soldiers of fortune and exploiters of sport.

With the Football Leaks revelations, more are now beginning
Research on the business of investors. You will be in tax havens
and lead to prostitutes, to families in the collapse

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The Soviet Union amassed a gigantic fortune and it is now in the

next generation, equipped with the best political contacts for
their businesses seek the glamor of football. Welcome to the world of
Doyen Sports.

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INSHALLAH, KINGS!

You are: the newcomer to the business. He is: the President of Real Madrid. You
want to sell him a player. He probably gets one like this every day
Offer. You are one of too many. He's the biggest club boss on
Earth. So what's your plan The oldest plan in history: sex. Because you
are: Doyen Sports, the most unscrupulous sports company in the world. And he is: yes
also just a man.
Real Madrid will play against Chelsea FC in Miami on August 7, 2013.
It's the final of a summer tournament that in truth isn't about
the trophy that some brewery has won, but the one
Inaugural bonus, which is already determined in advance: a few million. For doyen
Sports, however, is one of the ambitious newcomers in human trafficking
Football players, it should be the match of the year. A match that doesn't
is decided on the lawn, but in a luxury suite at night
before the game.
A year earlier, Doyen had transfer rights to one for little money
Chew player who kicks at Sevilla FC: Geo rey Kondogbia. If now
Another club offers 20 million euros for him, Sevilla has practically
no choice, then the Spaniards have to let him go; the force forces them to do so
Contract. And Doyen takes the money, a great deal for the company. So
Doyen is urgently looking for a club that is ready for Kondogbia
Pay 20 million. But when would there be a better opportunity to
to help such a deal on the jumps, as if the president of Real
Madrid Florentino Pérez possibly at a summer kick in Florida
bored? Because as luck would have it, the Arif family owns the
Doyen is right there, a 650-square-meter residence on Fisher Island
the private island of the super-rich.
On August 6th, Doyen Sports boss Arif Arif went on the cell phone
multiple WhatsApp messages. The sender is his sports director Nélio
Lucas. “I'm in Miami. Yesterday was great. I have a few
Club presidents ran, and even Florentino came along. Very funny.

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He took off his tie and danced. ”They were in that together
Gone to Mokai Lounge, a Miami Beach club that is known for
provocative girls whose uniforms look more like gift wrapping
looks to be torn open.
Now it should go on the next day, in the apartment on Fisher
Iceland: “I want to have a couple of girls brought here,” writes Lucas, “for
us «, for» Florentino «. Whether you trust a woman named "Violet"
could; the call girls should procure them. - Arif Arif: »I never met her,
Brothers. Do what you have to do. ”But please let Lucas first
the photos are hanging on the walls and Arif's father's room
to lock. Lucas contradicts: “I will give the room to Florentino!
! « - Arif Arif:» For 20 million euros. For Kondogbia. " - Lucas:" That is
the reason we have to take care of him. "
The next evening, Lucas reports succinctly: “I got Florentino last night
taken into the house. Probably again today. ”But without
the success that Doyen has achieved: "Real only pays 15," reports Lucas
disappointed, not 20 million. But 15 million is not enough for Seville
forcing to sell. So Lucas has to keep looking: “I'll cut myself
the eggs off to find someone who pays the clause for Kondogbia. "
Three weeks later, it will not be Real, but AS Monaco that
who pays 20 million. So Doyen makes a profit with the player, like
otherwise it is almost exclusively found in drug trafficking: 524 percent in 13
Months. And also getting to know Real President Pérez has made for
The company was clearly worth it, albeit in a different way. About real
Madrid sports director Lucas brags shortly after: »My connection
there is stronger than titanium. "
And Pérez himself? He says about the alleged sex party in Miami Beach,
he had not met anyone that evening; he is in
been to a disco these days, probably in the Mokai Lounge,
maybe one of the hundreds of guests also has photos on their cell phones
made by him. But nothing more happened, no further meeting, none
Party. Really was never interested in Kondogbia anyway, nobody was
even tried to offer him Kondogbia. And he did with Doyen
Club, as far as he knew, never worked together.

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That construction mogul Pérez, who also has the German Hochtief Group
prevails, actually at an invitation from Lucas or even amorous
Offers have been received, there are over the chat between Arif and
Lucas does not actually have any evidence or evidence. Who knows,
maybe sports director Lucas just wanted to be in front of his boss at home
fluff up. What is noteworthy, however, is on the company's website
Pérez praises the sports marketer: “We need their professionalism
highlight. Our experiences with them … are flawless. ”The
The origin of the quote, according to Pérez, could not be explained either; in any case
he has no recollection of having uttered such sentences.
Dirty plans, dirty football: the Doyen case shows how money
penetrates the industry from murky sources - and with the money, one too
Business philosophy more familiar from males. Doyen, from
hardly noticed by the public, deserved with the really big ones
Name: The company markets Neymar, one of the most expensive in the world
Football stars, plus the highest-paid expro, David Beckham, for a long time
universal advertising icon. Even the fastest man in the world, Usain Bolt,
is one of the Doyen customers, and Boris Becker is the best known
German who obtained advertising contracts through Doyen.
Doyen not only had the 20 million man Kondogbia under contract,
who is now a French international, but also the 30th
Millionaire Eliaquim Mangala, now Valencia, and the 40 million
Man Radamel Falcao, today Monaco. In Germany he thought about it
Hamburg sports club, always looking for money for its so
Overcrowded and overwhelmed cadres to get involved with doyen. "We are
on the go, a partnership agreement with Hamburg
in July 2015, wrote Arif to a business friend.
Football Leaks is in possession of numerous documents which the
Let doyen decipher business practices - and with them
explains the steep rise of the company. The documents bring the
Dirt behind the polished company facade to the fore:
Lies, a secret cash register, gag contracts that forced clubs to
Players, and letters, behind which the doyen
Owner family hides to this day. The company with its headquarters in

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London is thus becoming a chi re for the football industry: the surface is
beautiful appearance, the dirty truth is deeper, in the numbers, the
Clauses, the agreements. Doyen, this is football today. Soccer that is
Doyen.

Predators

On May 25, 2013, Wembley Stadium in London will be about power in

German football: Dortmund versus Bayern, the "German endgame" in the
Champions League. So tense the fans, so tense they are all in one
Office building in the exclusive area of St James's. Here on the seventh floor at the
Charles II Street, sits Doyen Sports Investments. And Arif Arif, just 27,
the junior who has run the company for two years with family money
pulls up, rather counts through again: Who does he have to do in his VIP
Put a box in the stadium? Sure: a place for yourself, one for his
Sports director Nélio Lucas. He has a couple of doyen managers on the list. One
Player advisor.
But the real VIPs on the invite list are different. you are not
only very important, they are the vital people for doyen
Sports: Arif's father, Tev k Arif, and his old pal, Sascha and Alik.
Sascha's full name is Alexander Maschkewitsch, Alik is better
known as Alijan Ibragimov.
Together they are two thirds of the legendary "Kazak Trio": three
Oligarchs who with their group ENRC are a particularly lucrative form
of raw materials processing. They have been allowed to do that for decades
Kazakhstan's almost infinite mineral resources in billions on theirs
Refine private accounts - and with this money you can buy anything
an oligarch owes his reputation as a tidy spendthrift:
Mashkevich, for example, has a Rolls-Royce Phantom V, two
Bentleys, a Ferrari, a Lamborghini; six Mercedes are running alongside
Consequently. It's also impressive how he went shopping in France in two
Days spent 2.1 million euros on jewelery, watches and haute couture.
In a strictly managed kleptocracy like Kazakhstan, in which the family
of the dictator Nursultan Nazarbayev himself in an infinite way

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Has accumulated billions is such an oligarchic career without cover

hardly possible above. US diplomats regard Mashkevich as narrow
Friend of the Kazakh ruler, who has been in power since 1990. And to the
The favorites of this favorite, in turn, belong: the Arif family. “He helps
Dad to keep his core business, «writes Ayla, Arif's sister
Arif, in a chat about Mashkevich. Yes, he was »a big one
Friend, ”replies her brother. In this »core business«, the
Raw materials from the Arifs in Kazakhstan, everything depends on the family, too
the fate of the young sports rma in london. So leads the invitation list
for the Champions League final on the dark origins of one
Family empire that now also wants to dominate football.
Tev k, the elder, Re k, the younger - two brothers sat at the end of the
Eighties exactly where you had to sit to jump out of the
Communism in the predatory capitalism of the turning point on the right
Landing page. For those who met, what no Soviet state
protected more than property of the people. The family lived in Kazakhstan,
Tev k had worked there since the 1970s in the Ministry of Commerce, when
Head of department for the hotel division. Shortly after the collapse of the Soviet Union
he gave up the post and started his own business. That was what his brother sat for
Re k from 1991 in the Kazakh Ministry of Industry and Commerce at one
Key point: He was the first contact person for foreigners who ins
Wanted to get into business with phosphorus and iron alloys.
It is not clear how the Arifs made their fortune after that. That's for sure,
that Tev k worked for the Reuben brothers, David and Simon. Two
native Indians who were state until the mid-1990s
Had usurped the aluminum industry. Your corporation was considered that
The ultimate predator of capitalism: huge profits, ruthless
Methods, starvation wages, contaminated landscapes. And Tev k Arif
right in the middle, your agent on the ground, like his son Arif Arif later
will call. What followed was the "aluminum war," a turf war
which the Reubens lost their empire in the end and some managers lost theirs
Life. They were found with their throats cut or with gunshots
riddled. It is possible that this is why Tev k Arif disappeared from Kazakhstan
and went to Turkey. »As the merging of business with the

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Organized crime started (inevitable in those days), it broke

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All But
the tents off,brother
Tev k's ”wroteRe
thek young
stayed Arif Arifobviously
and had in March 2014.
bet on the winner:
the Kazak trio Maschkewitsch, Ibragimow and the third, Patoch
Shodiev. Out of all this confusion, the Arif family went with a beautiful one
Yield. It has been in control of Kazakhstan since the mid-1990s
the ACCP, one of the world's largest chemical factories
Chrome base. Who gave the Arifs the money for it? For that core business in
"Sascha" Maschkewitsch was still such a good "friend" in 2013,
as young Arif wrote? Possibly the oligarch trio.
Your company happens to own one of the largest mines for chrome ore. And
without ore, the Arifs factory would come to a standstill.

SCANDALS, SCANDALS

ACCP is a money printing machine. Between 2004 and 2014 the

Family according to internal statements with the sale of
Chromium Chemicals nearly $ 400 million in profit. That is the
War chest owned by Re k Arif. But not just re k, also be
Brother Tev k earns millions for the family: After his escape to the
Turkey In 1993 he built up the Rixos chain - five-star holiday hotels
League. He also got into one of the largest Turkish buildings,
Sembol. Strikingly, she received state awards in Kazakhstan, for example for the
University of Astana, named of course after dictator Nazarbayev.
Or for the »Pyramid«, an event center whose construction the
Autocrat personally ordered.
At the turn of the millennium, Tev k Arif emigrated and expanded into the
USA, founded the real estate rma Bayrock and moved with it in New York
one of the most famous, cunning and controversial
Real estate tycoons up a hotel and apartment complex: with Donald
Trump, today's US President.
But whatever Tev k Arif touched, there was usually a suspicion stuck to it
unclean business, and sometimes more than that, a scandal.
Donors felt misled; there were connections to one

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Asset fraudsters. And you saw very young »models« from Russia and the
Ukraine on sugar daddy sause with Arif and friends - the whole thing
Bad reputation program. Arif always denied what one could give him
accused; Nothing was ever caught under criminal law. But he was in Turkey
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In the headlines for weeks after a police detachment him and

the complete Kazakh trio on board a luxury yacht with the models
had picked up.
So this is the clan that is entering a new, lucrative business in 2011
wants: football. No wonder the Arifs keep an eye on this market
have thrown: Experts estimate sales in pro football alone in
Europe to 20 billion euros a year, and prices are skyrocketing as
Oil from a freshly drilled well. A market for predators.
Re k gives the start-up capital, almost 75 million euros from 2011 to 2015;
together with Tev k he has the last word on what happens to the money. The
But the man they entrust the new business to is Arif Arif, Tev ks
Son. In the business of sport, he should clearly show what he can and do
whether he has what it takes to later manage the family business that
what really counts: the chemical plant, the real estate deals, the construction industry.
Arif Arif will prove himself worthy, his methods are the methods
of the family: dirty and successful.

"WE WILL BECOME BILLIONAIRES"

When Arif Arif entered the football business in 2011, he benefited from it
hardly a clue and with Nélio Lucas also a sports director who is in the
Industry is as good as done. Lucas fell out with his
Foster father, Pini Zahavi, a legend among players' agents. Zahavi
feels betrayed by Lucas. “You have the fault of your life
done, "threatens Zahavi," I don't want anything more to do with you, and you
will not be able to do anything more. ”But Zahavi is wrong;
Lucas will rise to the stars of the industry in just four years and be with them
him Doyen Sports, the newly founded sports investment rma of the Arifs.
Arif Arif is 27, Nélio Lucas is 34 years old, two big boys, always on the go
Borderline between vision and megalomania. “What a deal we are

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create! !! Money, money! !! ", cheers Nélio, and Arif:" Imagine us in ten
Years ago: Inshallah, kings «, and again Nélio:» Don't forget ours
Guiding principle: Together forever. We will win and billionaires
They give themselves ten years, three years until their doyen group
should be in the black.
Their language is gangsta rap, their playboy lifestyle, theirs

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Self-confidence boxing world champion. When they got a new apartment

look, Arif brags, she is "tailor-made for orgies." »Oh yes«,
writes back to Nélio. Three exclamation marks. Think about it for Halloween
Nélio, whether he should go as Napoleon, Pope or Sun King; Arif Arif:
"For me the dictator." When Arif Arif is not in London, then he celebrates
o in Ibiza or in the south of France. His sister is worried. He
shouldn't waste his time in clubs and rather all his energy
put in the business. But Arif Arif reassures her: "Business is going well ...
I know what I am doing."
The Doyen Group is a large general store. Next to the
Sport, there is also Doyen Capital for raw materials trading with Arif
Arif at the top. Or a company Doyen Natural Resources that participates in a
Ore mine in Brazil is involved. Arif Arif is doing business with Jamie here
Reuben, the son of David Reuben, or with Vladimir Semzov,
Real estate mogul with a Belgian passport. Father's old friend and
Ropes?
Even in sport, two doyen companies run side by side: the doyen
Marketing - it worries stars like David Beckham, Neymar or Boris
Becker for a commission advertising orders. The core business is included
Doyen Sports Investments, actually managed by Arif Arif, although he is o cially
has nothing to do with it. That is the division that sports betting on
Zwei Leger makes on football players and their future transfer fees.
Doyen Sports is buying transfer rights from talents, speculating on
that the players increase in value as quickly as possible - and silver that
Investment when selling to the next club. As with the French
Kondogbia. Just like later with the Dutch club Twente Enschede.
The donor Doyen - next to the club and the player the »third
Party «in such businesses - likes to portray itself as the savior of the

Page 29

Soccer. You only help the small clubs that are alone, without the
Financier von Doyen, no more top talent could afford. Especially clubs
with a lot of tradition but little money, Doyen could help fill the gap
downsize to the rich clubs.

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Indeed, the gap between the top ten teams in Europe and
the rest of the year bigger. Money scores goals - in Germany for
Bavaria, in Spain for Madrid and Barcelona, in France for Paris Saint-
Germain. These clubs can hardly be beaten in their leagues. But what

Page 30

Doyen offers the abandoned teams the only chance that the team also offers
Loan shark gives a poor swallower who doesn't leave a penny at the bank
gets - money against a toggle contract. The interest rates are correspondingly high,
and Doyen almost never loses on this bet. They take care of that
Choke clauses in the contracts.

"THE NIGGER MAKES MONEY FOR US"

Doyen's first purchase in August 2011 is Abdelaziz Barrada, a Moroccan,

who plays at the Madrid suburb Getafe. Doyen pays 1.5 million euros
to Getafe for 60 percent of Barrada. Less than two years later, it changes
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Player to Al-Jazira in the United Arab Emirates. The agreed

Transfer fee: 8.5 million euros. Power after subtracting a few
Additional costs 3.35 million profit for doyen; converted 223 percent
Increase in profit, at least that's what Doyen's data sheets say.
"Not bad," Lucas wrote to Arif Arif, but he was still satisfied
Not. “We couldn't control him anymore. His salary was 450
000 euros net, and they are now paying him three million dollars net « -» she «,
this is the Al-Jazira club that Barrada wanted to join.
Lucas, on the other hand, would have preferred to wait with the sale: “If that
Player had listened to me, I would have gotten more, ”Lucas complains and
sends another bad swear word afterwards.
Players and clubs should kindly do what Doyen wants them to do. The
Kickers are game players, chips in the big football casino. In the end it works
not what is best for them, but what is best for doyen
most pays off. Example Kondogbia, the Frenchman who is not at Real
Madrid lands, the biggest club in the world, but only in Monaco. Nélio
Lucas to Arif Arif: "Great deal for us." - Arif Arif: "Congratulations,
Brother ... Hopefully we didn't ruin his career ... my heart
is broken. " - Nélio:" Check your bank account for the next few days, and
You will feel differently. " - Arif Arif:" I know, brother, but I have mine
always introduced this boy as a superstar at a big club. ”An
Arif Arif writes to a friend: »I wanted the boy to be one
proper team. But this is over as a pure finance game

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went."
Even if Arif's heart bleeds on this deal, other players see
he, too, as a pure business crowd. Feelings are not provided and such
That sounds hard-boiled too. As a doyen star at a game with
his national team is brilliant, says Arif Arif: The »bitch. The nigger does
Money for us. ”Bitch, nigger, fuck: That's how they talk to each other, Lucas and
Arif. The main thing is to be awesome, cool, kingsize.
Lucas and young Arif text each other as if they had heard
them the world; the harder the crashes when they are reminded
that the world still belongs to Papa Tev k and Uncle Re k. "I'm going
jerked every day «, complained Arif junior in July 2013 about the old people. The
Uncle controls the money, he controls the whole management himself, so far, so
Well. But in the eyes of the elderly, he only counts when he tells his father

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and returned the capital they had invested to his uncle. As long as
»All of our jobs depend on my relationship with my father
and manage my uncle «. At one point, sports director Lucas is so sick of it that he
his buddy Arif advises to leave everything behind. Arif Arif: “I can
don't, brother, I'm stuck; the only way is to cut me out
but the knife for it is a million miles away. "
So all that remains for them is, the business for the old Arifs is getting bigger and bigger
to make pro tabler, by all means. Lies are just as easy for them
from the tongue like dirty words. “Those cocksuckers want TPO
forbid forever, ”Arif Arif grumbles when Fifa considers such a thing
To outlaw participation models as Doyen practices at Twente.
Doyen defends himself against this in image brochures, poses as the guardian of one
sparkling clean earthly party ownership model: Never speak doyen
the clubs in their decisions, Doyen never force them to one
Player for sale. The reality, however, as the case shows at the latest
Twente Enschede looks different. A typical doyen contract with one
Association contains clauses that are on the verge of coercion.
Clauses that can also be found in the contract of the Dutchman Ola John, which Ben approx
Lisbon 2012 brought, can. Doyen buy half of Ola John
the transfer rights for 4.575 million euros. The deal: no matter what
happens, Doyen always goes out of the business with six million.

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At least. "Always" means: When Ben is about to sell the player, but
takes less than twelve million, Doyen gets anyway
six million from the club. If he brings more than twelve million, collects
Doyen six million plus 50 percent from the rest. If the player after
has not been sold for three years - Doyen collects from Ben approx
six million. If the player becomes disabled for sports: six million for
Doyen. If Ben ca lets the player contract expire and therefore on
At the end of the day there was no more transfer fee: six million. If another club
20 million offers, but Ben does not want to sell approx. - Ben pays approx
nevertheless to doyen, half of them, ten million. After a club
who offers the necessary 20 million, Doyen is allowed to look for himself. And so on.
After three years at the latest, Doyen will round off this deal
25 percent profit, at least. If Doyen demands the money, he stays
clammy clubs usually have no choice but to sell the player.
If he can still be sold. In the case of Ola John, Ben has approx
awarded the player three times since 2014 - including to the hamburger
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SV -, presumably to get rid of him. Its market value was only at the end of 2016
still at five million. Should Doyen anyway after three years with Ben
have drawn the six million clause, the club should pay on it
to have.
This contract is not an isolated case, but rather a standard paper
with Doyen: In the contract for the French Josuha Guilavogui, who has been
In the Bundesliga at VfL Wolfsburg, there were similar clauses. A
The previous year he played at Atlético Madrid, a club that played with several times
Doyen has come into the business; 30 percent profit in three years
Doyen guaranteed here.
So the story of the fair TPO partner is just a legend, however
not the only one. The bigger lie is that there is none with Doyen
opaque financial structures. The company is fully registered and
will be screened by business auditors, it was said in a presentation,
with which Doyen wanted to stand out from dirty TPO investors.
Doyen, of all people. The whole group is a nest of
O shore companies, sometimes in Malta, sometimes in the British Virgin Islands, sometimes in
the United Arab Emirates. Letters are founded,

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dissolved again, replaced by the next, a constant dance. The sense

the post box in ation reveals sports director Nélio Lucas in 2013 as usual
bluntly in a message to Arif Arif: “We need a structure
outside to protect us and the company so that nobody does anything
about us. ”“ None ”could also mean the tax office
have been. Of some streams of money in the doyen empire, the
British Treasuries know nothing, as the Football Leaks Papers suggest.
But nothing in Arif junior causes sheer panic to rise as much as that
Worry, the old friends in Kazakhstan might find out who is behind
Doyen Sports is stuck: also Papa Tev k, nickname Skip. In July
In 2013, however, the business service »Bloomberg« reported exactly that, and that
Arifs are about to leave the company overnight
to shut down. Just so that nobody asks again. “The Kazakhs
don't give a fuck about me or Skip. When they find out him
behind it, they will pursue our family business in Kazakhstan,
and then it's all over, ”the young Arif suspects.
Obviously there was one on the Turkish luxury yacht after the scandal
clear message to Tev k Arif to stay out of the public eye.
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From his friends, the powerful Kazak trio? Like from the chats
of young Arif emerges, the trio had dropped their father.
Oligarch Mashkevich therefore initially didn't want anything to do with him
have to do: “He has blamed all the blame for his own on Father
Save your ass. ”Now everything was back in order, you went inside
London together to the stadium and in Sardinia to the restaurant. But
if his father were to come into the spotlight again, everything would be over, feared
Arif junior.
Nélio Lucas thought that was paranoia, but Arif Arif enlightened him how that
läu, where the family came from. People like Nélio would only have
worked in the civilized world, never in Kazakhstan or Turkey,
writes Arif Arif. “You're going to ruin us. Become our business and
uncover our high-level relationships and then it's all over. "
The Doyen brand was done, the rest of the business had to be opened
Bring distance to it.
It doesn't get that far, but from now on the old ones will disappear

Page 34

Arifs all the way behind the facades of letters from which only
Straw men look out. Transparency? There is no longer. What for them
Arifs is a good thing, because from 2013 the business will still be
dingier. With a secret cash register.
It is located in Ras al-Khaimah, an emirate on the Persian Gulf,
that hardly anyone knows that it even exists. Appreciate exactly that
Investors who want to hide money there. Lucas' o shore advisor
manages a letter rma called Denos, which mainly deals with the
Sports sales is fed. Usually ten percent go in on a deal
the emirate, a total of several million euros. The money should stay there
but not. Doyen Sport needs it for payments, one of which is obvious
nobody should know.
Kickbacks? Before a construction project in which Nélio Lucas did the
Having conversations, he asks young Arif whether he is his negotiating partner
should smear - Arif Arif: "Yes, brother." Only because the other side supposedly
wanted to smear the same, namely Nélio Lucas, it did not happen. And how
otherwise one should interpret what Lucas contributed to the high sums of money for the Arif clan
the letters rma Denos explained? This money does not belong to Doyen, »it
is for people we have to pay «. People who specifically do nothing
"Written" wanted. What further the young Arif in a chat

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explains: »He (Nélio Lucas - editor) has to pay people with whom he
Makes business when we buy and sell. ”That was what Lucas Arifs said
Father made it clear from the start. And Papa Tev k gave him, Arif junior,
said that he should "stay out of this issue because it is dubious".
In 2014, for example, the Doyen Group bought half of the image rights of the
Belgian top talent Adnan Januzaj, who works for Manchester United and
also plays briefly at Borussia Dortmund. 1.5 million euros pays
Doyen o ziell; but another 500,000 are to be sent secretly via Denos
Player agents from Januzaj ießen - and as emails show, from there probably in
Januzaj's father's bag. Black money from doyen to get the talent
to fish?
One time, Denos money ends up with player agents who are on two
Pages work, for a player and for a club. Women from Eastern Europe
Nélio leaves Lucas, however, with the money of a Maltese letter rma

Page 35

a lie that belongs to him personally. For one of the ladies, Kateryna S.,
You can find a Twitter account with the promise that it is a »paradise
for the eyes, hell for the mind, and purgatory for
Wallet". The travel destinations of Eastern Europeans are conspicuously o cities,
in which a Champions League game is currently scheduled. It is unclear
Reason for travel. Accompany Nélio Lucas himself, or he puts you on behalf of
Doyen to initiate business on the fringes of the games? Just like him
was obviously planning to stay in Florida in the luxury apartment of the Arif family
Real president Pérez?
Nélio Lucas did not want to go into detail on this or any other question
express only this much: he denies all allegations. Also Doyen Sports boss
Arif Arif, his father Tev k and his uncle Re k answered individual questions
not one, but, like Lucas, had their lawyers tell them that the
Content violates your personal rights and based on wrong assumptions
rest. From the oligarch trio from Kazakhstan, the player Adnan
Januzaj, his advisor and his father did not get any feedback.

»THAT FOOTBALL LEAKS SHIT«

You can see it this way: The Doyen case shows how dirty money can be
Looking for a way to clean business; that's how you know it from males, if
the second or third generation wears white collars so that no one is

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reminded more offeels

that dirty money the brutal beginnings.
comfortable But in
in a dingy footballIn
business. it is more likely that
a business that shines brightly on the outside, because of the great feelings,
the pure emotions, the deep passion it arouses. That is the
Deception that the industry still manages perfectly, in the evening at 8.45 pm
On the Champions League football holidays.
The truth is, money doesn't stink and clubs don't
Have trouble working with doyen, with the company that gives them
promises big money and which one would rather not know where from
this money comes from. Although everyone in the industry should understand that
you better keep your fingers off doyen.
So the business goes on briskly. TPO is banned, but

Page 36

Doyen has sued against this and there are complaints to the EU
Commission; so far unsuccessful. Doyen wouldn't be doyen if you weren't
would try to circumvent the ban. And football wouldn't be like that
Dirty business if Fifa has not renewed its ban long ago
would have softened. Well, investing in individual players is supposed to
actually remain banned. But investing in a club to get on
Cash in a percentage of all player sales at the end of the year ,
this is allowed, as Fifa announced to the Danish federation. So saw then
also a Doyen draft contract from November 2015 that Doyen in
In the future, 20 percent of the Spanish third division club FC for 1.5 million euros
Cádiz buys - and half of the transfer rights to all players.
Also the Hamburg sports club, always desperate about his
Mannscha and looking for a new one, settled in March
In 2015 we started talking to Doyen. At that time, omas von Heesen met,
resigned from the supervisory board only a few days earlier, in Munich with
a doyen negotiator. The TPO ban had already been decided and
entered force two months later. Nevertheless, von Heesen bid for
12.2 million euros in shares in six HSV players, including Pierre-
Michel Lasogga, Cléber, Jonathan Tah and Maximilian Beister.
He relied on an alleged suggestion from club boss Dietmar
Beiersdorfer to sell player shares. The plan, that of Heesen
sketched: First you need a contract so that Doyen Sports is involved
HSV could take over shares - so far in order. But obviously it should
can also be negotiated as to how the investor will after »sell a
Player's «share in the profit - that would be a kind of bypassing
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of the FIFA ban that came into effect on May 1, 2015. The then CEO
Beiersdorfer was inaugurated: on June 10, 2015, a doyen
Negotiating partner a list of possible new players for HSV.
A pro from Sampdoria Genoa said: »Buy between doyen
and Hamburg. «That would have been TPO and prohibited.
In the end there was no contract. Why? The HSV
confirms an "exchange of information with the Doyen Group". It is over
the »targeted refinancing gone«, but in the end you got yourself
decided against it, also because of Fifa's TPO ban.

Page 37

It is possible that Doyen sports director Nélio Lucas had to act first
re-sort once.
Around two months after the Football Leaks in September 2015
published the first doyen documents on their disclosure platform,
Lucas found himself compelled to write to his lawyer: “I don't know if I
can pay you. With this football leaks shit, everyone is changing now
Structures. ”Sounded like Lucas had to get a new one first
Put the structure out, maybe get a few letters. But
then it could go on soon.

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Page 38

THE SEARCH

Why do you lay down with people like the Arif brothers or Nélio Lucas
at? Voluntary? Because you want to expose them, or because there are clients
who ask that of you? Or does someone still have an old bill
open? With every document revealed, Football Leaks raise new questions
on, becomes an ever greater mystery. The makers of the platform
continue to work from the background, remain anonymous. Even hers
It is not easy to follow the online presence: In the course of the Twente
Football Leaks changed his address twice in Enschede-Aare
Website. Why all that? What is this hide and seek game about?
There is a contact address that the makers in the imprint of their
Homepage specified. We will send an email at the beginning of December 2015
there, in the middle of the storm. In the Netherlands there is a big one right now
Excitement about the dubious contracts of Twente. We ask them
The makers of Football Leaks, who they are, where they come from, what goals
They have. A week goes by without our getting an answer. We
check it out, send the next email: Is the material real? Why will
just revealed this material? Is there more to come? Are you one
Individual or a group? By the way: would be in the attachment of the mail
a few more questions that we asked last week
would have sent. It would be great if there was an answer to that too.
Making contact with people who actually remain anonymous
want is not easy. What tone do you play? Which questions
interested in the person hiding there in the dark? Which
Can we get answers from her? As long as you don't have anything
knows your counterpart, you send your messages virtually in the blind ug.
We look again at the already published contracts and
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Documents on the Football Leaks page. Maybe we have here

overlooked any clues about the people involved? Maybe
the layout on the homepage reveals something about the whereabouts of the
Doer? We note down all the small details that affect the identity of the

Page 39

Online revelers might point out. Since many documents are in

are written in the Portuguese language, we assume that too
the makers of Football Leaks have something to do with Portugal.
The material looks real, all contracts are signed several times,
The published mails also seem to be due to the date they were sent
Address lines and the type of language to be authentic. Also confirmed
a spokesman for Twente Enschede verified the authenticity of the documents. Striking
is that much of what goes on on the Football Leaks page goes a long way
Meaning has to do with the company Doyen Sports. Is the sports marketer
been hacked? Is Football Leaks a Hacker Group? Or is stuck
rather, an angry ex-employee behind it who stole the stuff?
We have learned from the major leak scandals of recent years
learned that it o former employees of a company or one
Who with their revelations are the grievances in their organization
uncover previous employer. Edward Snowden is probably that
most famous whistleblower, his data theft from the NSA touches the
major social issues between individual freedom on the one hand
and the state's need for security on the other. The former soldier
Bradley Manning provided WikiLeaks material on the US military under
including the brutal behavior of American soldiers in war zones
open. Hervé Falciani and Bradley Birkenfeld, two former bankers,
contributed with their leaks to the case of Swiss banking secrecy
bring an important step in the fight against tax evasion. We
write the esen from the former employee and from the possible
Hackers on our list - even if we have no idea how we put them
could check esen. But it makes us feel good, at least one
To have a clue.
We're scouring the Football Leaks page. Collecting such
Notes, a so-called cold research, since you are not looking for a living source
can fall back on is journalistic hard work. Not really
exciting, more like a puzzle with not all parts
have been supplied and at which you find yourself frustratingly slow
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Must work.
Several days passed again without us receiving an answer from

Page 40

Get Football Leaks. We will not give up and send again

an email: Are you Portuguese? Are you a hacker? Do you have doyen sports
hacked and stolen the material? Did you work for Doyen before?
Can we talk to each other, preferably anonymously? Maybe this will help
slightly more targeted, provocative questions to get a response.
We send the mail.
In fact, we get an answer to our questions. Indeed
it is in the "New York Times".
Damn it.
On December 15th the newspaper ran a long article with the
Headline: "Mysterious website wants to shed light on the football business."
is an outline of the Twente-A era, the scoop of history that we too
at the beginning of the story: »Football Leaks is
surrounded by a secret and no one to do with the matter
gave any significant details about the identity of the
Makers price. After all: in the course of a detailed email exchange with
The New York Times discussed someone who put himself behind the head
Football Leaks identified the motivation and goals of the platform. "
Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. The Times colleagues have them
exclusive story that we were after too.
The person who mentions Football Leaks in the article names
himself "John". In American usage, "John Doe" is used
either denotes an active person or a person with unexplained
or unknown identity. Also anonymous whistleblowers, that is
People who reveal secrets, but also their own
If you want to keep your identity a secret, use this placeholder name. So
is the name of the informant for the Panama Papers, which only lasted a few months
later by the »Süddeutsche Zeitung« and the ICIJ research network
Go public, John Doe.
The Times lets John speak about himself and Football Leaks. He
claims he lives in Portugal. He and his colleagues would have the platform
built to draw attention to the many TPO investor deals in the
Portuguese league to direct. “That kind of secrecy about
Contracts and hidden clauses kill sport, ”says John. The Times

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Page 41

writes that John and his fellow campaigners are football fans and they wanted to
therefore contribute to the cleanliness of their sport. They see themselves as
International football controllers.
The Football Leaks page is now only available through a Yandex
Address reachable, a website hosted on a Russian server
is. John explains to The Times that the operators of the previous two
Football Leaks sites had been so pressured that they could use the
The online revelers closed. Also Yandex who
Russian providers don't want the leakers anymore, says John. He believes,
Doyen is behind it: “It's an uphill fight, we won't
out. ”But why a Russian server? John says, “Because it
it is known that Russian authorities very rarely deal with western ones
Investigators work together. "
The answer will give us more questions. Are the operators of Football
So leaks are criminals? Hacker? Thieves? Why do you need to be in front of the
Hide the police? John's answer: "People think we're hackers,
we're just ordinary computer users. ”A dry one
Explanation. But where do the documents come from? To do this is silent
John, except for one big comment: I now own
Football Leaks more than 300 gigabytes of internal football data, claims
he. That would be a lot. However, John does not explain who is in the material
occurs or who the next revelations would be about: »We
still need time to sift through the data. "
John doesn’t reveal much with his first big media show,
most of his answers remain vague. From his quotes
also difficult to draw conclusions about his personality and his character
pull. He seems to be a combative person who doesn't get around that easily
can be put under pressure and likes to rebel. But you could already do that
suspect beforehand.
Francisco Empis, a spokesman for
Doyen. He calls Football Leaks a cheater and keeps hers
Publications for illegal: "This is now a matter for the police."
The Spanish newspaper "As" quotes an anonymous source from the
Portuguese police claiming Football Leaks is one

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Page 42

"International criminal organization". Hard words. So much becomes clear:

Football Leaks has serious opponents.

FIRST SIGN OF LIFE

We write more emails, another chance, to John and his

We don't have any comrades-in-arms. We ask for interviews
after phone calls, after a meeting. But neither John nor anyone
otherwise responding to our messages. Football Leaks remains one for us
locked oyster. Shortly before the turn of the year 2015/2016 we will send you
Another email, it's number 16. This time we list a number of articles
about football and corruption that we've been involved in for the past few years
have worked: the summer fairy tale scandal about the award of the
World Championship 2006, Lionel Messi's tax fraud, numerous texts
about Fifa, about betting fraud and match manipulation, about player advisors
and their influence on the clubs, their power over the players. John should
see: We have also been working on what he does for years. We look
Behind the facade of the sport, do not just want to have exciting games and
dazzling stars report, but rather uncover grievances and dirty ones
Unmask business.
Our mail looks pompous, a little too boastful. Really feel good
we don't care. But it is our last attempt, a kind of cry for help. And
it acts. On January 3, 2016, a message appears for the first time with
a football leaks sender in our mailbox. The Football Leaks
Creators write in English, from a Russian email address. The content
the message is extremely concise: “What is your problem with
Soccer? Best regards, FL. "
This is unexpected. »FL« would have a bigger, open question
can hardly formulate. We get to work and write
an answer. We declare that after all the research we have the
past years, after all our arguments with corrupt ones
Officials, players, coaches, sponsors and consultants that
Football business was just as serious as banking: where so
Unchecked so much money would inevitably become a lot darker

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Page 43

Figures attracted. We write that we would be interested in everything

what damages the game, what threatens the credibility of this sport.
We would like to publish texts about this in SPIEGEL, in order for
to provide a little more transparency and to the readers and football fans themselves
to give you the opportunity to get an idea. We send the mail
off, now it's time to wait again.
In the evening, documents appear on the Football Leaks page for us
Speechless: They are contracts from the companies MIM and Polaris. Two
Companies that will give us a lot of work in the coming months
will prepare. They are part of a company law about that
Marketing rights to be handled by Cristiano Ronaldo. Cristiano
Ronaldo is one of the greatest in the sport. How do these contracts come about
on the football leaks page? Usually such documents as
State secrets guarded. If you read the contracts carefully, you will see: The
Ronaldo's marketing rights run through companies in Ireland. Does the
Superstar about a European tax haven to minimize taxes?
The documents are in a complicated legal English
written, with many clauses and paragraphs. You are at first
Look not as good, not as spectacular as a player's contract, there is
no astronomical transfer fees and salaries that immediately ins
Eye jump. Between the many revelations, the football
Leaks on his side, the papers are almost drowned in the
They are hardly discussed in public. We too will be around one
Nine quarters of intensive work, need a lot of strength and nerves to do this
Understanding and classifying contracts and their explosive power.
Football Leaks will give us the key to that. But more on that later.
But this much can already be revealed: The Ronaldo documents will be
give us insights into the secret world of top football, a world
considers tax honesty to be the greatest foolishness and in which a system
dominates, through which almost everyone can earn money in this sport:
Players, coaches, managers and consultants.

Page 44

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THE TAX TOURISTS

What is a day in the life of Cristiano Ronaldo worth? Hard to say,

but there are clues. Clues worth millions. One nd
you for example in Saudi Arabia, more precisely: in the Saudi Arabian
Telecommunications company Etihad, one of Ronaldo's innumerable
Advertising partners.
This company wanted the superstar from Portugal in spring 2013
win for a photo shoot. Ronaldo was supposed to last four and a half hours
Let yourself be luned and photographed in his adopted home of Madrid
sign five jerseys and two mentions on his Facebook or
Post a Twitter page. The company from the Middle East transferred 1.1 million euros. It
are worse days.
This rain of money is contained in an eleven-page agreement
that anyone could access. The contract between
Ronaldo's marketer Multisports & Image Management (MIM) and the
Saudis has completed, published the disclosure platform
Football Leaks in February 2016 on their homepage. A passage in it
states that the mobile operator from Riyadh for a year with the expensive
advertise paid pictures of the shoot by e. But only in the Middle East
and in North Africa. Even for such small bites
Ronaldo millions.
Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro as the Real Madrid striker
in full name is a world star of football. And with it a
World advertising star. His known sponsors include or were: the
Consumer goods giant Unilever, the Kentucky Fried Chicken fast food chain,
the US dietary supplement company Herbalife, the Danish
Underwear rma JBS, the computer and video game maker Konami
and the automaker Toyota. The sponsorship money for »CR7«, like Ronaldos
Brand claim is, just rush in. According to the business magazine
Ronaldo earned “Forbes” in 2016 with his advertising work
$ 32 million.

Page 45

Pro football is now a show business, the largest in the world of sports. The

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The sumsnothat
to know are at
limits implemented areapplies
the top. That gigantic and seemproceeds,
to transfer to lingerbut also
for advertising revenue, salaries and commissions. A lot of money is used
Football, and Cristiano Ronaldo benefits from it like no other. Alone at
Real Madrid, it says in his contract, which he will end in November 2016
June 2021, he earns around 40 million euros a year. His
Transfer fee - the sum that another club would have to pay to make it real
Buying Madrid - is one billion euros.
Ronaldo is a footballer who models his body and obsessively
tried to improve his shot quality. If you read your contracts
but does he only appear marginally like an athlete, but rather
mainly like a medium-sized company. Be with Ronaldo
Generates annual sales in the three-digit million range, it holds up
an entourage of players and tax advisors, lawyers and
Financial jugglers. They help him maximize his wealth. The
The credo is simple: every euro that is earned with Ronaldo,
should end up as completely and undamaged on one of his accounts.
Gross and net, if somehow possible. This is especially true for the millions
from the advertising contracts.
Ronaldo relies on a bad habit to optimize his finances,
which have been used for years at large, multinational companies such as Google,
Apple, Starbucks or Amazon can observe: tax tourism.
Such globally active companies reduce their tax liability by
Company branches in low-tax countries. Through this
Money smuggling billions are withdrawn from the general public every year.
It is a primordial capitalist drive to make more out of more. Politician
many western countries have been fighting this type of for years
Taxes, but as soon as they have drained a tax oasis,
arise elsewhere, preferably on some archipelago, two
new. The system favors the rich, especially the super-rich
It is now companies or individuals because they are the only ones who are consuming
Structure with which taxes can be avoided. This is
known. However, that now footballers also act like great ones,

Page 46

international companies - this is new. And worrying.

In the case of Ronaldo, the Football Leaks documents show it
Switzerland, Morocco, Portugal and England, the striker's money migrates
around the whole world. Companies and a foundation work for Ronaldo in
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Panama, Hong Kong, Switzerland, Bermuda and the British Virgin

Islands, a chain of tax havens and letters, and at the end
his money is protected by a small private bank in Switzerland.
It has to be said: Ronaldo's fortune in 2015 amounted to
227 million euros. That emerges from a statement of assets that
his adviser rma Gestifute published in the course of the EIC research.
A proud sum. Ronaldo has it after just 13
Can accumulate pro football years. But the number we also ask some questions
on: Why does a wealthy person like Ronaldo need it, too
the last cent from the pro football and especially the country in
whom he plays to squeeze? Why are Ronaldo and his advisors
such a great, almost absurd effort, with his millions and
Juggling billions, them in shell-game fashion from one
Company to move to the next until the tax authorities head
buzzes and almost no one understands where the coal is actually?
Spain, the country where Ronaldo plays football and a lot for that
Get money has an unemployment rate of 18.2 percent. 42.2 percent
of young people have no job. In Portugal, where Ronaldo was born
and where the whole country reveres him, the numbers also look lousy:
10.2 percent unemployment rate and 25.7 percent youth unemployment.
However, soccer stars like Ronaldo already have with the normal population
nothing more to do for a long time. The sums that the top players make are
so aloof that greed and megalomania persist with many
Become a companion - they want the society as little as possible, ideally
nothing at all, repay, because gods get from their believers
is sacrificed, not the other way around. To get from the huge sums they deserve
To be able to keep as much as possible for yourself, they ride with theirs
Financial workers on the razor blade of tax law. Who at this
Game doesn't join in because he might still be involved in something like social
Remembering responsibility is presumably considered naive and too weak for that

Page 47

Success.
But the football industry also makes it easy for rip-offs like Ronaldo.
In this business, the Portuguese is no exception, just one
a particularly brazen specimen - a look at an entire system shows that
full of tax evaders.
In the football business there is a difference between that

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normal salary that the club pays the player and the image rights,
with whom he makes money. When it comes to salaries, it is not so easy to raise taxes
press: The laws are clear, the flows of money are clear
Tax offices tough. Image rights, on the other hand, are a different matter. Under this
Jurists use the term to summarize everything that football pros use their names,
deserve her face, her voice, her autograph. So mostly with
Advertising, but also, for example, with the sticker photos that children put in theirs
Glue the panini he e. When it comes to advertising rights, tax lawyers become
to artists who build complicated labyrinths through which money flows.
Tax officials who want to chase after him usually get lost quickly.
The whole thing goes like this: His salary has to be the pro
Tax at the top tax rate, in many countries that's around
50 percent. That hurts. On the other hand, far more is left of advertising revenue,
if you do it right. For this, the player transfers his advertising rights
to a company that works for him. She then collects his earnings
when he beams into the camera for a granola bar or deodorant. Just like
Usually only corporation tax goes from this income to companies
from. In Ireland, a popular location for such image rights, they are
slim 12.5 percent.
All the chips and shampoo makers that advertise the star are
but not the only ones who put money into the pictures rma. Also the
Clubs fill the cash register. Arsenal FC, Chelsea FC, Manchester
United, FC Barcelona - all of these clubs buy their players a part
your image rights. In return, they pay a fixed fee,
which is also only taxed at the low company rate.
The tax authorities rate this hustle and bustle very differently.
German tax offices are rather stubborn and suspect that advertising revenue,
which are paid by the clubs and are entitled to image rights,

Page 48

could be covert salary payments. In England the tax authorities go along

The millionaire stars, however, are much more relaxed. The
national tax authority Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs (HMRC)
agreed in 2015 that clubs would pay up to one fifth of player salaries for
may transfer the use of the image rights. The san e tour of the Treasury
is understandably well received by the Premier League pros.
According to research by the Sunday Times, there are now more than
180 players whose marketing proceeds are donated to so-called Image Rights

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Companies andmore
that is 74 pros are taxed
than atthere with a mildof20
the beginning percent -
2015.
Usually the image rights companies serve the footballers as
»Cash boxes«, comparable to pension funds. As long as the pros are active
Do not touch the money that is pouring into your image rights. Only when
When you end your career, you fall back on what you saved - you
liquidate the companies and can use the credit for a small amount
Transfer the tax surcharge to your private accounts.
Wayne Rooney, the Manchester United striker, has in
its image rights rma stoneygate 48 just under nine million pounds
housed in a tax-friendly manner, this increased in the 2014/15 season alone
Sum of £ 2.43 million. Goalkeeper Joe Hart, of Manchester
City to Turin FC is said to be in the company JCLC Promotions
have around 2.3 million pounds of advertising money.
At Arsenal, eight players have around £ 7.3m in
various image rights parked, beläu with players of Liverpool FC
the sum comes to £ 5.5 million. All players and all clubs
stressed that they would behave in accordance with the law.
That's how it works in many European leagues. Already in 2000 had a
English court to the Dutchman Dennis Bergkamp from Arsenal FC
certifies that this practice was correct in his case. But what not
means that it is always legal in other cases - and morally in
Order - is. The tax offices do not like the clever arrangement,
it costs the state millions. That is why the authorities keep checking
in individual cases, whether a player with this construction does not control
evades.

Page 49

The boundary is flowing where it runs, not always clarified. So want

the investigators know, for example, whether image rights that a club dear to its pros
chewed off, are even worth their money. Can the club issue
almost recover, for example with the sale of jerseys
or autograph cards? If not, then it's obviously just a matter of
the player a whopping part of his salary at the dumping tax rate
to pay off. That would be banned in many countries.
With superstars who already own their club
Jersey sales flush millions into the cash register, the tax authorities drill
in other places: Is the image right rma a pure sham rma, without
Offices and without staff? Then, depending on national case law,
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the money will be treated as if it had been earned domestically. It

would therefore be fully taxable. It's like so when it comes to money: ever
The more pro t something brings in, the greater the risk that it will go wrong
can. The advantage of cashing in on image rights is immense. The risk,
But also to get in trouble with the tax office.
You can therefore leave it better. But if you like an agent
Jorge Mendes has, then you don't leave it. Then you risk it. Jorge
Mendes is the most successful player agent of the present, the agent with
the biggest player names, the biggest deals and obviously the biggest
Recklessness in control structures. He's the man with the player
dizzyingly rich, but also become gamblers - with
Brie asten rmen in the Caribbean about which a great secret is made
becomes.
Jorge Mendes advises the Spanish national goalkeeper David de Gea and
the Colombian World Cup top scorer James Rodríguez, he advises the
half Portuguese championship eleven, Pepe, André Gomes, Ricardo
Carvalho. He also advises the starter coach José Mourinho, but above all advises
he: Cristiano Ronaldo.
There's a movie theater that opened in 2015 and that's Ronaldo's life
retold. It also deals with the untimely death of Ronaldo's father,
and Ronaldo says of Mendes that he “became a father to him; Jorge
belongs to my family «. Of course, "Big Jorge" is also that
"Best agent in the world," a title Mendes actually used six times

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won in a row at the Globe Soccer Awards.

Like his protégé Ronaldo, Mendes knows what poverty feels like. And
how good money feels in comparison, so much money to be at home
no longer fits in the safe, like Ronaldo in another part of the
Films says. Both come from families that hardly give them anything
could, only the irrepressible ambition to get out of this poor
To work out relationships, to money, success and fame. Mendes creates
as a gifted seller. First he sold videos, then he made
opened a bar, then he sold one of his bar patrons, the goalkeeper
Nuno Espírito Santo, to Deportivo La Coruña. That made him a player agent.
Soon he was trading with bigger and bigger names, also because he was the
Has the ability to inspire others as much as he does himself. In the film, he is with
a meal in front of Ronaldo, next to them are friends and family of the

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Stars. Mendes climbs into a hymn: “You are a monster. The

is the best in the world ... i'm proud to be next to such a man too
stand ... if I didn't know you, I would want your autograph. "
You can well understand that footballers adore him, even more so,
because Mendes succeeds in getting them to join the big clubs like no other
bring to the big contracts. From 2001 to 2010 Mendes was, so stands
it in a self-portrayal, involved in more than half of all transfers,
Portugal's top clubs Ben ca Lisbon, Sporting Lisbon and FC
Postage made. From there he placed players in the really big world
of football, to England, to Spain, to Italy. "Nothing is
impossible, ”preaches Mendes in the“ Ronaldo ”film,“ nothing, nothing, nothing! ”He
can't stop shouting "Nothing!" over and over again like a
Guru who conjures himself and his disciples. That nothing is impossible, that
seemed to hold true for many years when it came to player taxes.
That was obviously part of Mendes' player service: a
Financial model with which top earners participate as much as possible in the
Tax bypassed.
Apparently some of them got into quite a bit of trouble with them as a result
Spanish tax authorities. Ricardo Carvalho, once a tough one
Defender at Real Madrid, is expected to come in abruptly in early December 2016
a courthouse of the Spanish capital in the Plaza de Castilla

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appeared to have mitigating circumstances for his tax proceedings

obtain. To this end, he should have deposited a sum that he is after
Calculations by his advisors bypassed the tax authorities. So
it reported the usually very well-taught Spanish
Investigative portal "El Con dencial" with reference to court circles.
Mendes client José was also at odds with the Spanish tax authorities
Mourinho. In the summer of 2016, newspapers reported that the start trainer had
the authorities have to pay around two million euros because he has revenue
from marketing and advertising have not correctly taxed. The Agencia
Tributaria, the competent authority, was on during a tax audit
Found irregularities, it was said. Criminally got the case for
Mourinho has no consequences, payment and a fine are the thing for him
Start trainers from around the world.
And Cristiano Ronaldo, Mendes' most important customer? The darling of the
Football gods is also evident when it comes to such mundane things as tax issues
a chosen one. He benefited from the Lex Beckham, a law that
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the Spanish government in 2004 under the Conservative Prime Minister

José Aznar had decided to get gifted with low tax rates
Bringing scientists and top managers to the country. De facto turned out to be
The regulation quickly became a locational advantage for top Spanish clubs in the
Battle for the best footballers in the world. Foreign players like the British
David Beckham or Ronaldo got the status of one
»Impatriado«, which was awarded if you hadn't been in
Spain had lived. Then you can take all domestic income with you
almost 25 percent tax, while Ronaldo's Spanish
Teammates had a tax rate greater than 50 percent.
The greatest gift, however, was another: Ronaldo only had that
Tax the money he earned in Spain. Income from abroad
The Spanish tax authorities were not interested, not even foreign ones
Advertising revenue. For Ronaldo that meant: money like that from the Saudi
Arab cellular operator Etihad for four and a half hour PR
The appointment in Madrid was net per se. The law was passed in 2010 by
cashed in again by the new socialist government. But foreigners that
Moved to the Spanish footballer's paradise by the end of 2009, could each other

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happy - politicians granted the Impatriados a transition period until

January 1, 2015. A multimillion-dollar gap for the super-rich. But is all that
is allowed, too, legitimate? Wouldn't have to be someone to the millions of people
To cheer unconditionally, also a social responsibility
take?
For Ronaldo, these seem absurd thoughts. The dozen
of the millions he earns from advertising are around the world
steered, financial advisors and lawyers have given him an opaque
Really crafted in the company. That is borne out by the Football Leaks documents
very clearly. The platform already had some online in spring 2016
posed. Others evidently come from the Portuguese and
Swiss lawyers advising Ronaldo. For years a company has been winding up in
Ireland the marketing deals of the advertising king, she was the one with the
Saudi cellular operators had come into the business. Your name:
Multisports & Image Management (MIM) based in Dublin. Opened up
this company had an Irish tax firm on February 4, 2004 which
"Big Jorge" Mendes is also at your service - she was in charge of the main rma des
Advisor King, Gestifute. Ireland, that's EU soil, the Pu er that
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Business needed so that corporations like Nike, Unilever or Toyota were ready
were to pay for image rights. Because big companies are trying
to avoid sending fees to tax havens, they smell that
too strict according to the shadow world, in which there are also many tax evaders
drifting around. So those who advertised Ronaldo paid to MIM in
Ireland. What happens to the money afterwards is no longer the issue
of the companies. It's Ronaldo's thing. And that of his advisors and lawyers.
A channel for its advertising income was already in the direction of Panama at that time
relocated, one of the most secretive and isolated
Financial centers of the world. In February 2003, Ronaldo was just 18 years old
got old and was about to switch to the English premier
League, a trustee in Geneva received the mandate from Ronaldo's mother to
a foundation called the Brockton Foundation in Central America
To create a tax haven. The foundation held very special rights: the
in global marketing - the UK
except - her son Cristiano. Now the big one began

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Nesting: In 2004, Mama Ronaldo transferred all of them

Marketing rights from the Brockton Foundation to the Tollin company
Associates in the British Virgin Islands, and they passed them on
Europe, to the marketing company newly founded in Ireland
MIM. From tax haven one to tax haven two to tax haven three. With
Such matryoshka concepts can even have three-digit numbers
Unobserved advertising millions unfold.
There is a letter from a company in the Football Leaks file
from Panama by two Swiss trustees, one man and one
Woman who is represented. Both trustees have a power of attorney for Tollin. In
In a letter dated March 1, 2017, they confirm that the "main purpose"
the Tollin Associates the exploitation of the image rights of Cristiano Ronaldo
which were transferred to the company on February 6, 2004.
"The beneficiary of 100 percent of the company's shares" is Mr.
Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro. The Tollin Associates, go
they gone, should be shut down soon. “From its inception to
of their closure, Cristiano Ronaldo is the sole beneficiary of all
Revenue generated directly or indirectly by the company
Marketing his image rights. "
Ronaldo and his agent Jorge Mendes wanted to be too speci c

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Do not answer questions about such control structures. Gestifute, the company
by Agent Mendes, was only a general one on their website
Opinion. It says that Cristiano Ronaldo always has his
Obligations »to the Spanish and UK Tax Authorities
fully fulfilled «. He was never »in legal disputes about a
Tax offense involved been". If it to
There were disagreements with tax authorities, these are
always been cleared without legal process.
It's not illegal to have a pro footballer's advertising revenue in
a company land in the British Virgin Islands. Provided he knows
reports his income annually in his tax return and carries out the
appropriate charges.
Whether this was actually always the case is now also of interest
Tax officials in Spain. In spring 2017 one will run in Madrid

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Tax audit against Ronaldo.

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THE BREAKTHROUGH

Ronaldo, Mourinho, O shore - Little did we know in early January 2016

Football Leaks could be such an explosive force. So far we have
Still no answer to our last mail to »FL«, we are waiting
impatient. On January 5th, the time has finally come: “We have a great many
Documents that could help you. Are you interested in it? ”Writes
"FL". We are euphoric, answer that we are about every contract
would be pleased that we would like to view and evaluate the material.
But then, the next few days: silence. No answer, nothing. Is something
happens? Were we too brash? We have John and his colleagues
scared? Or did the police strike? But the football leaks
Page is still up and running, new contracts and appear almost every day
Documents - many related to Portugal, but also some related to
Transfers from Argentine, English, Chinese clubs. It is
absolutely impossible to get behind the papers that are revealed on the page
be able to recognize a logic.
On January 12th, after a long week of waiting, I got in touch
»FL« again: The material will come, but it will take a little more
Time. For the next few days, "FL" closes the mail, we should open the website
of Football Leaks but "update very regularly ...". It sounds
exciting.
The online revelers get serious and four days later leave it that way
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First time really crashing: You publish Anthony's contract

Martial, who rumored AS Monaco for back then in the summer of 2015
Has moved 50 million euros to Manchester United. Football Leaks
now reveals how explosive the transfer fee for the 19-year-old
could increase. The makers publish one agreement, the three
Contains clauses. These additives were previously unknown and show that
Martial - at the time - was even the most expensive purchase of the
Manchester United club history could have risen: Should the
Strikers within the contract period up to summer 2019 a total of 25

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Scoring mandatory goals for the Red Devils, 25 games for the French
Complete the national team or put it on the nominees list for the
Ballon d'Or, the final selection for world footballer, would create each
ten million euros due. And Martial's transfer fee would be in this one
Fall to up to 80 million euros.
80 million! For a 19 year old. For days the contract is in the
international sports media discussed, analyzed and rated. football
Leaks ensures transparency, no question about it.
We are still waiting for the promised material. We congratulate
John and his colleagues for the unveiling of the martial contract. By
this leak has significantly increased the relevance of the website. Martial, AS
Monaco, Manchester United - this is a completely different league than
Doyen, Ben ca Lisbon or Twente Enschede. Now it's about the big ones
Names of European Soccer, around two- and
hundreds of millions of dollars to cheat the mighty in this
Sports.
But where do all these contracts come from? And what will be in the material
stuck that we're supposed to get? »FL« consoles us: »Martial is first of all
Beginning! As soon as we have some rest, we will send you in too
Data packet to. Sorry that it takes so long, we have a lot to do here
do. ”So we have to wait again, although we are increasingly impatient
become.
Because Football Leaks burns a real firework on his side. As
next scoop, the online revelers present a contract between
the French international Eliaquim Mangala, FC Porto and
Manchester city. City committed to Mangala in 2014 when
o The transfer fee quoted was £ 32 million. But that is

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not the whole truth. Again, the documents show that the
Presidents, managers and players have been with the public for years
Tried to deceive half-truths and false information.
As almost always when Football Leaks strikes, it's about the
illegal and semi-legal trickery that has an almost systemic effect, publicly
close. In the case of Mangala this means: The transfer fee of the
Defense Specialists is nearly £ 42 million, so he's about this

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At the time the most expensive defensive player to ever move to the island.
Even more interesting: The transfer fee shoots up so much because
City first has to pay off two companies that own around 40 percent of Mangalas
Hold transfer rights. Once again it becomes clear: The TPO model tears it apart
Football, almost every player now has a troop of investors and
demands returns. It seems as if a transfer is hardly taking place anymore,
without a third party being involved.
The clubs try to keep investors' stakes that way
to leave uncommented as possible. In Mangala's case, keep silent
Manchester City and FC Porto paid nearly ten million
Pound. When nobody in public knows why and where to go
Such money flows when business is so intransparent, it then arises
a market that almost inevitably leads to corruption, kickbacks and
Embezzlement leads.
Football Leaks seems to be fighting against this lack of transparency and
reloads again. This time the contracts of the Argentine
National player Marcos Rojo, who is now in the service of Manchester United
is just as public as that of the Brazilian national player Hulk,
whose transfer from FC Porto to the Russian first division club Zenit St.
Petersburg is illuminated. The media and fans spend days discussing
the salaries, transfer fees and secret clauses. Football Leaks is in everyone
Mouth.
But the platform will only become world famous with another scoop
Become: Responsible for this is Gareth Bale or, more precisely, one
completely absurd clause in his contract. The Welsh
Winger moved from Tottenham Hotspur in late summer 2013
Real Madrid. The attacker previously played an outstanding premier
League season and scored 31 goals across all competitions. In England
He was showered with prizes for this and became a Premier League player
elected of the year. Such a performance explosion quickly awakens that
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Interest from top clubs. The sales representatives from contacted Bale
Real Madrid, with whom he reached an agreement on a transfer.
For a club, an offer from Los Blancos usually means
that he is showered with money. The Spanish record champions are considered to be

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Replacement supplier, at the latest since the noughties, as real horrific sums
spent on players like Luís Figo, David Beckham and Zinédine Zidane. The
Cristiano Ronaldo's club change has been considered since the summer of 2009
World record transfer: Real Madrid should then transfer 94 million to Manchester
United paid. This transfer will play a big role in that
Playing excitement for the bale contract.
Before Bale can move to Spain, the Madrilenians have to
Tottenham Hotspur President Daniel Levy of the deal
to convince. Levy, a business man with a prominent bald head, is one
stubborn own brand, it drives the Madrilenians almost into the for weeks
Madness. The man is notorious for his negotiating skills - and for
its consequence. In previous years he had also given up
greater revenue when giving him the amount of offers for his players
did not fit. He had Bale from FC in 2007 for an estimated 15 million euros
Southampton bought, now he wants a decent return on his
Gaining the courage of that time and years of trust in the Welsh people.
Levy also likes to ignore his counterpart during negotiations
tactical reasons: He didn't even respond to Real's first offer
answered, it says. Instead, he says Bale is a superstar to him, one
of the best players in the world. And therefore: very, very expensive.
It was a long squabble, but in the end Real and Levy came to an agreement
a change. About the transfer fee is between the three parties
Agreed to keep silent. But as it is in football, somewhere oozes out
End any rumor that may or may not be believed. In Bales
English newspapers rumble that he is now the most expensive player in the world.
Florentino Pérez, the godfather of Real Madrid, an entrepreneur who has been
Years leading the fate of the club, feels called to the wild growth
Put an end to rumors: He announces on Spanish television, Bale
cost 91 million euros. Lot of money. But not as expensive as
Cristiano Ronaldo.
But then comes Football Leaks. It's just a six-page PDF,
that the online revelers publish on their website: the
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Transfer agreement from Gareth Bale. In it you can read under point 15,
how well the pro-football lying machine works: the clause

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regulates that Real Madrid in its press releases an obvious

should indicate wrong purchase price of 91 589 842 euros for Bale. The
the actual transfer fee for the striker can also be found for football
Leaks: exactly 100,759,418 euros. That makes Bale the first footballer to
broke the 100 million euro barrier, and became the most expensive
Player in the world. Around six million euros more expensive than Ronaldo.
Why did Real lie? So as not to damage Ronaldo's ego? Is it
For the Portuguese it is so important to be the most expensive player in the world
be? Or are there other reasons? Maybe tax?
Real is silent about the revelation. Also from Ronaldo, Bale and
Tottenham there is no comment. Just Bale's agent Jonathan
Barnett comments. He calls the revelations "monstrous" and demands
an "independent investigation" into Football Leaks. The
Publications are a disregard for the two clubs and the
Player. But not a word from him, why the parties deliberately
lied. Not a word why they even wrote that the
Should be sold to the public for stupid. Or is the lie
has become such a natural part of business that
no one bothers about her anymore?

LOUD REVIEW

The Bale contract is the 77th contract the Football Leaks have had since the inception of the
Platform published - in addition to hundreds of agreements,
Promotional deals and mails. The revelers are serious. Who internal
Documents from Real Madrid, Manchester United and some of the
most famous footballer must have very good relationships in either
have the industry or actually be a hacker genius. Or is there
any other access to the high-security area of top-class football?
Shortly after the unveiling of the Bale contract, Fifa published a study
to the transfer market: In 2015 there were around 4.2 billion worldwide
Dollars have been spent on transfers. That corresponds to an increase
of 2.6 percent compared to the previous year. If you didn't know it before, you will get it
Now from the world association: Football is a gigantic business.

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However, given the Football Leaks revelations, the

Question on what basis Fifa determines these numbers. Almost every
The contract that is published through the platform contains significantly higher amounts
Sums than those that the clubs have made public, whereby the
The differences are often in the double-digit million range. And many
Contracts, as shown not only in the Twente Enschede case, become Fifa, the
Withheld from UEFA and the national associations by the clubs.
Mark Goddard, the managing director of Fifa's own company Transfer
Matching system, which handles all international transfers, gives way
Appearance of the report too that the transfer fees are also twice as high
could be - he could not say that exactly, it was simply missing
Transparency. Goddard therefore praises the Football Leaks revelations:
“For us, any kind of information flow is very, very useful, and
It was this one too. "Football Leaks Publish Documents," which we have with
our system cannot map «. Still, he believes the members
of the online platform are "villains". He compares them to WikiLeaks.
In addition to this limited praise, the criticism of the
Disclosure platform increasingly louder. Several Portuguese media
report that the makers of Football Leaks have the sports marketer
Doyen and some clubs extorted. The revelers are said to have offered
stop the leaks for a cash payment. Is it now a campaign?
against football leaks, or are the ideals of the revelers not so pure after all,
how do this claim?
After a few days, the makers of the platform will contact you
even to speak about the allegations, this time on their homepage: »There is a lot
interesting developments in Portugal. Seems like football leaks
stir up a lot and scare just the right people. But we
reiterate that Football Leaks never contacted Doyen Sports
and all the allegations that come from there are pure fantasy. ”Besides
a Portuguese police inspector is named in the statement
called, and his investigation as "a desperate attempt at football
To discredit leaks «, labeled.
One thing has to be attested to the makers of the Football Leaks: They let themselves
don't be intimidated so easily. But if you tell the truth here, you stay

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not clear.

DATA, DATA, DATA

At the end of January 2016, an email reached our mailbox, which immediately reached our
Attracts attention: “Hello Rafael. We believe this
Player agents have been evading taxpayers' money for years. You have one for that
complex company system built, you should take a closer look.
And as a small gift, because we haven't contacted you for so long,
You will nd two contracts that have to do with Germany. Have fun
in order to! Greetings, FL «.
There are four links attached. We upload the documents to a USB
Stick down and run virus programs on it before we get down
look at the content. We can't be too careful. Let's open
carelessly adding an attachment, "FL" could give us a Trojan or some other
Spy so ware play on computers and company systems. After all
The allegation is still in the room that the makers of Football Leaks
Are hackers. But the material is clean, there is no hidden virus.
On the other hand, the data that we have in front of us seem very effective at first glance
unsorted, confused. There are contracts, bank statements, emails. Much of it on
Spanish and English, also a few documents in Portuguese.
We start reading. Paths and appear on our screens
Folder, we're trying to click through the data by hand. There are
around 300 megabytes, almost 60 contracts, around 400 pages. We share that
Material among each other. First we have to check: Is it at all
real? We compare some of the agencies with the entries in the
Company registers and only matches. The
chronological sequences (when did a transfer take place between whom?
Who was the financially beneficiary in the end and has a transfer fee
or received a fee?) and the logic of the documents also show
no inconsistencies. Later we will also discuss the parties we are in
write the following articles and oppose the
Document allegations, confront them with our content.
When searching through the data, we immediately come across the transfer agreement

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of FC Bayern Munich with Real Madrid to change Xabi Alonsos from

August 28, 2014 eye-catching. Just like a transfer agreement Real
Madrid with FC Bayern to change Toni Kroos. The
The transfer fee, so it is in the papers, amounts to 25 million
Euros, payable in three tranches by July 15, 2016. This contract, dated
Kroos also countersigned, dated July 10, 2014. That was two days
after the 7-1 triumph of the German national team in the World Cup
Half-nal against Brazil and three days before the final in Rio. One
Kroos only signed an employment contract with Real on July 17th.
At Bayern, Kroos wanted to move up to the top earners, but
the club bosses had denied him this promotion. The poker for that
Toni Kroos' salary kept fans and media busy for months. In
According to this employment contract, he now gets Madrid, which he also in
Munich would have made one of the highest paid players: 11.3 million
Euros gross in the first season, 10.9 million euros each from the second
up to the sixth year of the contract. Accordingly, Kroos does not receive his money
monthly, but every six months - one half on January 10, the other half
on 10th of July.
A detail that says a lot about the glamor factor of his new employer
reveals, can be found on page three of an appendix to this employment contract.
According to this, the midfielder would have a one-time gross of 1,818,182 euros
Get real, he should be one of the three candidates in the election for
World footballers belong. In the following years this sum would come to his
Fixed salary added. The same one-time bonus and the same
Kroos would get a raise if he actually became a world footballer
would be chosen. Toni Kroos does not want to agree with the contents of the contract
express.
We are convinced of the authenticity of the documents, nevertheless
always remain with documents that come from an unknown source
slight doubts. Especially since we read in one of the contracts that the
The first name of Kroos was written with "y", ie "Tony" instead of "Toni".
Is that just a careless mistake? Can such a top club like Real
Make a mistake in a document that concerns many millions?
(We will find out later: Yes, he can.)

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To be on the safe side, we ask Kroos' advisor Volker one more time
Struth, who is based in Cologne with his company SportsTotal. We
reach him on the phone, it's carnival in Cologne, Struth wants to celebrate, we do
to disturb. Publicly, he won't say anything about the contract, nor does he want anything
confirm or deny, instead he threatens us with legal proceedings
Steps.
Lawyers. You will be with us in the coming months
Research into football leaks is very common. With
The soccer industry has grown in financial strength over the past few years
Years accustomed to unpleasant, critical reporting with legal
Means to combat. Of course it is every individual's right to be
with the help of lawyers against false allegations of fact in the media
to fight back. But legal steps are also threatened or
launched to put pressure on rapporteurs. The pro uses football
the means of law like to another end: many
Top officials, clubs and associations often only sue journalists
to force them to reveal their sources. The principle is simple:
The plaintiff alleges that an article is untrue. According to the German
The reporter then has to prove under press law that his story is true. The
means when a journalist only receives his information orally
he would have to name his tipster in the course of such a procedure.
Since source protection is a great journalistic asset, betray
Reporters don't tell their informants. The consequence: German courts
forbid a number of articles that are true but their sources are not
can be named. Journalistic work doesn't do that
easier.
In the case of Struth and Kroos, however, we are relaxed: we have
written receipts. The contracts are real, signed by all parties,
In addition, a long-time informant who is very well networked in football has
the numbers and clauses of the contracts checked for plausibility. In doubt
we would use the documents in a German court as evidence
submit. Then the other side would have to prove that the material
has been falsified or tampered with.
In addition to the purely legal level, we also discuss in the editorial office

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an ethical aspect: Such salary payments and details in

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Publishing employment
do, there must contracts
be a public interest is
injournalistically
the content andtricky.
the If we do it
affected person are relevant to contemporary history. We discuss
these issues are controversial. In the Kroos case, we choose the
Publish numbers. His salary expectations were one of the
Main reasons why he left Bayern Munich and so for one of the
made the most spectacular transfers of the summer of 2014. The details of the
Contract - negotiations with Madrid during the World Cup that
Signed so close to the final against Argentina - that is all
exciting and important to the public. In other cases, at
We will look at other documents out of consideration for the
Decide on personal rights against publication.
Another case is very clear to us, which we also see in the data
nd: These are more explosive documents, the dubious deals
of the Dutch player agent Martijn Odems. Odems,
whose advisor rma Orel B.V. sits in Amsterdam, is in Italy's premier league
well networked and placed the Argentine goalkeeper Juan Pablo in 2013
Carrizo from Lazio to Inter Milan. His fee claims
That deal, as evidenced by the Football Leaks documents, was what he had
Consultant assigned to a company based in Panama. this agreement
was strictly confidential, even Inter Milan were not allowed to know anything about it.
After the Carrizo transfer, Orel BV transferred EUR 300,000 in
three tranches. With that Odems had his fee in the Netherlands, yes
the money shouldn't stay there long. Because the company in Panama with the
Odems had concluded its secret contract, Orel BV hired the
Carrizo-Transfer three invoices for 277,500 euros net, payable on
two of her accounts at banks in Vienna and London. The suspicion lies
suggests that this operation was about tax avoidance. For Odems'
Company in the Netherlands still remained from Inter Milan’s fee
22,500 euros left. The Dutch players' agent commented on request
not why he duly paid the fee that Inter Milan gave him
transferred almost entirely to a company based in Panama
had passed on. He also said nothing about whether and what proportion of it

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the fee he had the o shore company repay him.

We will find out later: This triangular deal is only a small one
Run out of the secret, dirty business in pro football that we are in
gain insight through football leaks. To what extent
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Tax minimization is practiced in top sport, as opaque and

Windy many player agents and officials are working, we can do this
Only guess at the point in time.
We write Football Leaks another email and describe what we do
found in the data. We want a first article about it from this
the whistleblowers and the nervousness they cause in the football world,
compose. In particular, the tax tricks of the player agents are for
very exciting for us. We write that we would like to delve deeper into this topic
wanted to get in and ask if the makers had any more material too
O shore business.
The answer comes just two hours later: “We have thousands
Documents on tax fraud by players' agents. We think, that
there is a system that they have been embezzling European taxpayers' money for years.
They steal football, society, each and every one of us. Want
Do you continue researching? ”And whether we want to. We ask for
further material and ask if there are also documents for German advisors
gives. We name companies and people, attach articles that we add to the
wrote about player agents in the past few years. Once again
let's make it clear: we have been dealing with such issues for a long time
Trace, any further evidence helps us.
The answers from »FL« now come every few hours.
The Football Leaks makers write that they will review their material
and want to send us another selection. Simultaneously
let's start with "FL" email about the bigger issues of sport too
discuss: What is fair competition? Where does the money for that come from
Top sport? What does football give the fans? Why are they him
sometimes so obedient?
We discuss for hours and exchange dozens of emails. The nights
are getting longer and longer, as »FL« o only becomes talkative after 11 p.m. So stays
give us time during the day to sift through the data and to work on our article

Page 66

work. The chat with »FL« is exciting, with every answer you can get involved
little more about the personality, the character of the revelator
Experienced. They have interesting approaches to how the sport is changing
would have to, at which points the world association and above all
Investigative authorities should readjust to the criminal in the
Setting business boundaries.

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We ask »FL« if he could give us an interview. By phone or

personally, we would be anywhere in the world for it. “No, you can
Not. Too dangerous. But you can send us your questions by email, and
we try to answer them, «writes» FL «. The next morning
we send out a list of questions and receive it after around twelve hours
Reply.

»FOOTBALL IS A PARADISE FOR CORRUPTION AND MONEY LAUNDERING«

SPIEGEL: Where do you run football leaks from?

FL: We live in Portugal, we are Portuguese citizens.
SPIEGEL: Do you have a client?
FL: We work completely independently and receive for our
Commitment to Football Leaks no money. Since we play football with our
But now we have to have some publications that have shaken things up
find that we have turned some powerful enemies against us.
Therefore we can no longer say about our identity, we have to say ourselves
protect.
SPIEGEL: Why did you start Football Leaks?
FL: We have been thinking about this project for a long time.
At some point we began to send documents from the football business
collect and wait for the right time to be published.
Last summer the time had come: on the Portuguese
Transfermarkt there were quite a few questionable player changes, we wanted them
unravel many lies and contradictions. The more documents we have
received and analyzed, the more we realized that this
non-transparent football industry needs help.
SPIEGEL: How many contracts and documents do you have?

Page 67

FL: We have over 500 gigabytes of material and we keep getting new stuff
to.
SPIEGEL: You publish employment contracts for Toni Kroos, Hulk and others
Gareth Bale as well as legally highly explosive material that the illegal
Machinations of clubs, players' agents and investment funds
shows. What principles do you use to choose the material?
FL: We usually publish the documents after
Random principle. We try to put two documents online every day.

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Sometimes thiswethen
Channels that leads
want to discussions
to stimulate furtheronwith
the social media
our publications.
SPIEGEL: Who is the target group for your publications?
FL: We are big soccer fans ourselves and we want others first and foremost
Football fans help make this locked down football deal better
understand. Clauses, contracts, consultant fees - all of that is in football
taboo. Sport needs a public discussion in order to get away from this
Solving secrecy. Such a non-transparent business like that
Football is a haven for corruption, money laundering and tax fraud.
SPIEGEL: Critics accuse you of publishing it
only use voyeurism of contracts.
FL: Each of these contracts tells its own story, they show it
an infinite number of clauses on astronomical fees and hidden
Bonus opportunities. These documents are very important to the
Understand today's football business.
SPIEGEL: Another accusation is that you have the documents illegally
acquired by hacking a sports rights agency.
FL: We haven't hacked anyone, the allegation is ridiculous. We have
different sources that provide us with the contracts and agreements
supply. Our network is very stable.
SPIEGEL: You are messing with the biggest football clubs in the world,
annoy the superstars of sport and theirs with their publications
a wealthy advisor. Do not be afraid?
FL: We are well aware of the risks, especially the legal ones
deliberately. The football lobbyists also have a very large influence on them
Investigative authorities, we would therefore never have a fair one

Page 68

Get trial.
SPIEGEL: How did you come up with that?
FL: With our launch we have a sports rights agency
causes many problems. The company works with one
Tax avoidance system, she broke several Fifa rules by
our revelations became uncomfortable for them. We are sure,
that they also put pressure on the investigative authorities to get us to
To keep silent. And not only that: they even have private investigators
engaged to expose us.
SPIEGEL: How is the pressure being exerted on you in concrete terms?
FL: Our homepage was attacked, an attempt was made to contact us
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To put deletion programs under pressure. Our Russian provider has

closed our cloud and then sent us documents a
Sports rights agency shown, which has massively urged him to do so. We are
now victim of censorship.
SPIEGEL: What do you want to achieve with Football Leaks?
FL: We want the transfer system to be more transparent, so that the in uence of
Player agents and mutual funds that are increasingly playing football
dominate, is reduced. A public one would be desirable
accessible database in which all transfer details such as transfer fees,
Bonuses, clauses and stakes in players are broken down
would.
SPIEGEL: Those are very ambitious goals.
FL: Our drive is to put an end to all those who do
Injustice enriching the popular sport of football. We also want one
ushering in a new era in football: the time of transparency.
SPIEGEL: Do you see yourself in line with portals like WikiLeaks?
FL: Julian Assange, Edward Snowden or Antoine Deltour are great ones
Inspirations for us. They sacrificed everything for their dreams and
Beliefs. Now let's try our contribution for a more transparent one
World to accomplish.
SPIEGEL: How long do you intend to keep other explosive documents in?
Set network?
FL: Until we run out of material.

Page 69

The interview is picked up by many other media. It is one

Announcement from Football Leaks and a warning of what's in the
The football world will face the following months:
uncontrollable revelations, 500 gigabytes, a huge treasure trove of data that
has almost doubled since John's interview in the New York Times,
but nobody knows what it actually contains.
While we're still working on our article and interview,
New revelations are already appearing on the Football Leaks site: They are
Transfer agreements, working papers or change modalities from
international superstars such as the German national player Mesut Özil,
the Colombian striker Radamel Falcao and the Argentine Carlos
Tévez. They are delicate company secrets from top clubs like FC
Chelsea, Arsenal FC, Tottenham Hotspur, Real and Atlético Madrid,

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which now appear completely unveiled on the Internet.

The super agent Jorge Mendes has to be confidential almost continuously
Read documents relating to his player advisory agency Gestifute. And
Doyen Sports, the sports marketer, is becoming more transparent every day, so many
Documents from the agency appear on the Football Leaks platform.
The football world watches the goings-on of the network rebels as if paralyzed,
while the media around the world analyze the documents and the fans
between indignation and resignation about their favorite sport
commute.
We are now in daily contact with »FL«, sometimes we write
together for hours. The revelers send us links
Litigation relating to Fifa's ird party ownership ban,
we get documents from the European Parliament that the risk of
Represent investor models for football. The football leaks makers
go through the data in a very structured, analytical way, check it
Companies, holdings, try to create connections. To
Such patterns also work by tax inspectors, investigators or investigative agents
Journalists.
»FL« sends us a kind of organizational chart that shows which one
Ratio of several top officials in the Portuguese league to three
Player agents and a lawyer are: “These people control that

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European football and are constantly doing business with each other
under the table. They turn players and clubs into puppets. We
have documents to prove it. If you read it, you will get it
Ask the question how one can even still believe in this sport «,
writes »FL«.
We propose to examine the material, but on one condition:
We want to work exclusively on this data. Football Leaks must be
pledge not to share this material with anyone else, otherwise would be
the risk is too high for us after weeks of working on the mountain of data
having to read the results in another medium. To our
Surprisingly, »FL« replies within a few hours: »Deal!«
The online revealers are not a wasteful man. in the
There are several links attached to the mail, each adding up to around 700 megabytes
Data, about 800 documents. At first we are confused: many of the
Dates are in Chinese. It's probably about a takeover of a club and
also a cooperation between a Chinese sports agency and
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the player agent Jorge Mendes. We are on Chinese documents

not prepared, we have to find a solution.
The next email follows just a few minutes later. This time they are
Data in Spanish and English. It's about tax fraud in the
South American-Dutch player agent carousel. Already with one
At first glance we see that there are big names in world football
goes: James Rodríguez, the 2014 World Cup top scorer, Gonzalo Higuaín,
the 90 million euro striker, or Ángel Di María, the Argentine
Superstar, now in the service of top French club Paris Saint-
Germain. We will tackle this issue directly in Spanish
We can read documents. »FL« also sends us very specific information
References to individual pages, contracts and account statements that are available to us
make it easier to get a first overview of the data jungle.
Just as »FL« guides us through the documents, it becomes clear that the makers are themselves
know the material very well and understand the details.
The research now begins for us.

DEPRESSED

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At the beginning of February 2016 our first article about Football Leaks will appear in
SPIEGEL, in it we reveal the tax avoidance system of the
Dutch player agent Odems. Shortly afterwards »FL« reports:
"Your story is good, but you should study the Panama
Take a look at O shore businesses. You can find them in the documents
The economic beneficiaries of the companies, you will see how many
There are conflicts of interest in the football business. The whole industry is one
big bubble that lives from the fact that everyone earns well and no one above it
speaks. But many of the deals aren't legal. ”“ FL ”sends us more
Material, more links and announcements in the coming days
we would receive around one gigabyte of data on Panama.
We look through the previous material. There are too many now
Data to print them all out. We need new methods
think about sorting and preparing the documents. We
trying to fiddle with folders and subfolders, paths too
mark and work out. This is how we want the individual
Put documents in a clear order. But remember again and again
we, that we get lost in the mess of data, that we are on documents
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the context of which we do not understand. We lack a tool to

for example to put the mails in relation to each other or
To make company structures visible. We realize: by such a large one
We need to be able to evaluate the amount of data systematically
consider another way.
But even so we nd again and again in the coming days
exciting contracts and documents from which we write reports,
about the transfer modalities between Manchester United and Bayer
Leverkusen to the striker Chicharito or about the salary explosion of
Nuri Ş ahin after moving from Borussia Dortmund to Real Madrid.
Ş ahin earned around five million euros from Los Blancos . Given
This handsome sum makes it clear why the Turkish international
2011 was the first to leave the BVB project and trainer Jürgen Klopp. In
Spain was able to earn more than twice as much as in Ş ahin
Dortmund.
We are already quite satisfied with this yield, but we have

Page 72

I still have no idea how many more such contracts we have in the
weeks to come - hundreds! Thanks to Football Leaks
we will so deep insights into the most secret agreements and
get darkest corners of top football like we never would for possible
would have held. Bit by bit we can make the billion dollar business football
analyze and present in its individual parts. We will show
can, according to which logic transfer fees arise, such as salaries and
Rewards explode as people gamble on an increase in the value of pros,
how ever higher amounts of millions are smuggled through this milieu.
Every contract, every agreement, every appendix gives us new secrets
betray. In their entirety, the clauses, agreements, paragraphs,
which we nd to draw a moral portrait of the football industry.

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Page 73

TEMPORARY DEVICES

The life of the world champion follows a strict regime. Free choice of medical doctors?
Forbidden. Wear your own clothes for public outings? Forbidden.
Press contacts? Only after consultation with the club management.
Bastian's Premier League Contract consists of 29 pages
Schweinsteiger, who he worked for his employer on July 13, 2015
Manchester United Football Club Limited, signed. The
Midfielder who joined the German national team a year earlier
Having won the World Cup, I was used to a lot - also at Bayern Munich
there are clear rules of conduct. But the treaties in England's premier
League are once again in a class of their own.
29 pages, dozens of paragraphs - from the legal formulations
speak paranoia, control mania and zeal for regulation. As »Obligations of the
Spielers «are also listed as a matter of course - for example, that he
"Takes part in games for which it has been set up" or that im
Training to take off jewelry is “dangerous for him or another
Person could be «. Above all, however, the contract stands for a
Understanding of roles: here the Manchester United brand, which should shine; There
the footballer who has to function.
If Schweinsteiger had violated one of the countless clauses, for
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Example of telling the media his opinion about the coach would be that
The consequences were crystal clear - neatly graded and read
in the detailed special section ("Disciplinary Procedure and Penalties") of his
Contract: Verbal and written warnings are listed there,
Fines (»for the first offense a maximum of the basic salary of two
Weeks «) as well as suspensions up to and including termination. After all, would have
Schweinsteiger had the right, that was also regulated, within 14
Days to call the board of directors to describe his case and the
Have a disciplinary sanction reviewed.
For his first year in Manchester, Bastian Schweinsteiger received, it says
it in his contract, a base salary of £ 7,548,357, at the time

Page 74

10.5 million euros. For that sum, he wouldn't have a single game
have to complete. So it is hardly surprising that Premier League pros
strictly adhere to their contracts and refrain from interviews - or
at best give zero rates. That they accept everything, even if they do
she, like Schweinsteiger in August 2016, moved from the coach to the second
Crew to be deported.
Reading players' contracts - the payrolls, the bonuses, the
Clauses, the secret agreements - can have different reactions
trigger: astonishment, indignation, anger, envy. In any case, the reading will help
in understanding what is happening on the big football stages of the world, but also
really happens in the relegation battle in Bremen or Hamburg
Minds of pros and their advisors, in the calculation of trainers and
Club managers. You get an idea of how pros feel about their
Buying personal freedom through sometimes obscenely high fees, like
they become temporary serfs, agents and tools
Marketer.
No two contracts are the same. There are big differences
between world-class and average players, between younger ones, them
a great future is prophesied, and elders who are not sure
how long they can still meet the requirements of top-class sport.
The contracts differ, depending on the league and country, according to the reputation of the
Clubs and the player's repute. Some writing can be seen
how stubbornly the parties got caught up in small and small, on the hunt
after the last euro, the advantage in reselling or trying
Passing off the risk of a cruciate ligament rupture. It's a deal in three
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Files.

THE SALARY: SEVEN-DIGIT INCENTIVES

When a club and a player, represented by their agent, have one

Negotiating a contract, the starting position is relatively banal. The club just wants
then spend a lot of money when the player and the team play too
o wins. The player, on the other hand, wants to keep his risks low:
Bad luck with injuries, form crisis, a coach who suddenly beats the competitor in

Page 75

own team better. So the player will demand a high fixed salary,
he doesn't want to be financially dependent on the course of the season. The prudent one
Club manager offers low base salaries and high bonuses. Is the
Team successful, she plays these bonuses easily, over spectator,
TV and sponsorship income.
Now there are pros with a special status, pros in the Kroos category,
Ibrahimović or Lewandowski. They are the turn numbers of the business
and therefore have a strong negotiating position in contract poker.
You don't have to get involved in getting paid after the stakes.
Your fabulous fees are increased by the success bonuses
a million or another, but that falls in the high seven- to eight-figure
Basic salaries do not matter too much.
In the Bundesliga, Bayer Leverkusen's striker Javier Hernández,
called Chicharito, such a special position. Without a high fixed salary
If you had the Mexican, then 27, hardly from Manchester United to the
Rhine lured. According to the contract dated August 31, 2015, Chicharito moves into
monthly 350,000 euros; he also receives one per season
"Special payment" of 1.8 million euros. That makes six million together
Euros per year, guaranteed.
There are also a few allowances if he plays regularly: 12
000 euros for every win in a Bundesliga game, 4000 euros for a draw.
If the goalscorer plays in the Champions League and wins, it will
credited him 30,000 euros. How important to a club these days
Participation in the Champions League is agreed to reveal Chicharitos
Rewards: 100,000 euros each for the Bundesliga championship and for the
Champions League victory, but 150,000 euros for qualifying for
European elite class.

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How big the differences between an international star and a national one
One look makes it clear that we can be top performers at one and the same club
in the employment contract of Stefan Kießling - he is also a striker with
Bayer Leverkusen, colleague and competitor from Chicharito. Kießling, since
Summer 2006 in Leverkusen, has to be modified according to 2013
Satisfy the contract with a monthly salary of 140,000 euros. For that are
his bonuses enormous: If he stands for at least 45 minutes on the

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Turf, he collects 50,000 euros in a win, 25,000 euros in a draw ,

and even in the event of a defeat, 12,500 euros will be paid out. If
Kießling has played 20 mandatory games, he receives a special payment of
120,000 euros. So whether his coach puts him on the lawn or on the bench
makes a lot of money for the Kießlings' household budget.
The way from Bremen to Wolfsburg is not far, 190 kilometers
the car barely more than two hours. As for the earning potential
As far as is concerned, there are worlds between the two Bundesliga cities. If
Some fans ask themselves what a happy pro at Werder Bremen is like
the Brazilian Naldo to Wolfsburg a few years ago and in the summer
Moved on to Schalke 04 in 2016, a look at the salary structure is enough
of these three clubs. A comparison of three top performers from Bremen,
Wolfsburg and Schalke - all from other European countries, all of them
National players - illustrates the range of pay. SV Werder
Lured Zlatko Junuzović to the Weser with the following conditions: 65
€ 000 basic salary per month, plus € 21,000 for a win and
7,000 euros for a tie. For 20 compulsory games there are 120,000 euros
extra - provided that the team ensures relegation.
At VfL Wolfsburg, the Bremen wage level is milder
smile. Here Ricardo Rodríguez hired in 2012 for 110,000 euros a month
at. According to the contract , he is entitled to a bonus of 15,000 euros per point , i.e. 45
000 euros for a win. Already after the 15th compulsory game a bonus will be given
of 200,000 euros and a further 200,000 euros after the 30th mandatory match .
Even if the Swiss came on ten minutes before the end
the game counts as "half stake".
This is - thanks to the VW Group - a lot of money, but almost precarious in the
Compared to the contract that Matija Nastasić won at Schalke 04 in 2015
has signed: 250,000 euros monthly xum, 30,000 euros stake bonus
per point that is earned. Does the team qualify for that
Champions League, if his monthly wage increases to 300,000 euros, wins
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the DFB Cup, there is an extra 200,000 euros.

Even more tempting than the call from the Ruhr area is that from England.
They are well padded with the billions of the pay TV channels Sky and BT
Premier League clubs have become the most desirable, because most rewarding, goal

Page 77

local pros. Liverpool FC alone has six former

Bundesliga player in the team. Liverpool brought the Brazilian from Ho enheim
Roberto Firmino on An eld Road. With good arguments: 68,085 pounds
"Basic Wage" per week - many English clubs calculate the fee
weekly. Over the year, the striker earns a good four million
Euro. And when he's eager there are success bonuses (£ 10,000
per win) also generous bonuses: 300,000 pounds for more than 30 bets in one
Season plus a surcharge of £ 10,000 per week for 35 or more games.
In an effort to be attractive, just and economically reasonable at the same time
to act, have a number of Bundesliga clubs in recent years
Salaries designed with many finesse, and always with the message:
Achievement pays off. So plans a smart contract with a young player
its rise already a. Because club managers fear it if a 19-
Year-old asks for the first round of wages after three good months -
because the player has realized that his colleagues collect multiple times,
or because the first attempts to poach him have reached him.
The example shows how finely such a first contract can be balanced
of a German talent, still young in years, but already a national player
Joachim Löw. Bayer Leverkusen guaranteed him one when he signed
basic monthly salary of 70,000 euros for the first two seasons
and 100,000 euros from the third season. From 25 season assignments increased
his monthly fixed salary of 1000 euros per game. For international debut
an additional 10,000 euros per month and for 30 compulsory games in one season
240,000 euros bonus. A primeval capitalist incentive system.
The talent was evidently so sought-after that Bayer paid a “signing fee” for the
Signed under this first contract paid: 200,000 euros. This obolus
without real consideration is unpopular with clubs, player advisors
however, greed for it. At first glance, it doesn't seem like a pro
Receives a signing fee of EUR 120,000 or EUR 10,000 more basic salary. But
it makes a huge difference if the player is seriously injured.
In the case of sick leave, the payment of the salary continues, as is the case with Germans
Employees, on the 43rd day - the association saves. However, does he have one
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Signing fee paid, the money is perdu.

But in this respect too, Bastian Schweinsteiger played in one

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other league. In clause 7.2.1 of his contract with Manchester United

says: In the event of a sports injury, »his basic salary would be for the first 18
Months «continued to be paid. England is something else.

THE SIDE AGREEMENTS: MUSIC IN ANNEX

The German Football League (DFL), the umbrella organization for the clubs of the
First and Second Bundesliga, offers its members a kind
Sample contract for licensed players. It is not mandatory to have it
use, but most pro contracts, the sighting of the football
Leaks documents are based closely on the DFL draft.
Some fundamental issues are non-negotiable, such as the
Players do not have shares in first or second division clubs (except for
his current) may acquire and hold that he cannot bet on his own
May complete games that he does not receive any bonuses from non-club members
People can accept. And that doping is forbidden. Other clauses
could also be in a normal German employment contract. So
most contracts indicate that vacation pay includes
the salary is paid and that every pro per year 24 vacation days
be entitled to take the »in the non-mandatory period and for the purpose
to use for recreation «.
Such legal clarifications sound boring, and they are.
Because "the music", as a Bundesliga manager calls it, is not in it
Standard contracts. The music is in the individual attachments. Here
it's colorful and loud and bold - for example when Schalke 04 feeds a pro
Promises 500,000 euros for winning the Champions League. Here
the players bet on the one great dream season, here come true
Adviser, this is where club bosses leave the path of reason.
Example Chicharito, the goalscorer from Mexico who is in Manchester and
Madrid played and now kick in Leverkusen. You have to have one
charm him to come to the chemical city.
The striker wanted a goal premium. Bundesliga managers consider that
rather than folklore, in England such an arrangement is more common
Part of the remuneration. So Chicharito got his special lock:

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»After every 5th compulsory goal in a season, the player receives one
Special payment of EUR 100,000 (gross). «In his first season
Chicharito scored for Bayer in the Bundesliga, DFB Cup and Champions
League a total of 26 goals. And received 500,000 euros for it.
Chicharitos goal bonus seems a little rough, compares
you with the usages at Liverpool FC. Because here is differentiated:
Roberto Firmino, for example, scores his first five goals
Freundscha price of £ 25,000. Raised six to ten for the hits
his goal premium rose to 45,000 pounds, with eleven to 15 goals to 65,000
Pounds, and from the 16th goal, the Brazilian conceded 85,000 pounds.
Mind you for every shot that lands on the net. Converted penalties,
at least that was what his advisor would not be able to persuade
counted in. But every playback from Firmino to the colleague is also
who scores a goal from it is worth good money: £ 25,000 "Assist Bonus" for
the first five submissions, £ 65,000 from the ele submission.
Liverpool FC payroll is busy given the
many bonuses that are calculated and paid out every month. So
Firmino's German colleague Emre Can receives 20,000 British pounds for
every goal and every assist. A game without it is also rewarded
On the other hand, the “Clean Sheet Bonus” is the name of this 10,000 pound bonus among them
"Reds".
Even loyalty is a value that the club can afford to pay for: Yes
there is a contract between Can and Liverpool valid until 2018; yet
the German player received in the summer of 2015 and in the summer of 2016, respectively
a loyalty bonus of two million pounds. Also be
Starting debut in a compulsory national team match Can was with
an allowance of a quarter of a million pounds. With each other
He receives 10,000 pounds in a qualifying or tournament match in a DFB dress.
But the appendices to the contracts are not just about business
Obligations and financial benefits are regulated, and sometimes they take effect
quite unabashedly and blatantly into the private lives of athletes. A
Example from the Football Leaks documents touches on an issue that -
Seen from the outside - still one of the biggest taboo areas in the industry
belongs. In the professional relationship between the players as

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It is obvious to employees and to the clubs as employers

no more.
It's about a South American international who died at the end of August
2015 from a Champions League club to another top club
was awarded. The pro is gay, and neither is it
Secret, at least between the negotiating partners. Because in the
Mails in which his adviser and the general manager of the new club last
Negotiating contract details, the agent passes as a matter of course
ensure that the club gives the player and "his partner" his first name
he mentions paying for a language course. In addition, the club should for the
Player and his significant other the hotel costs for the first month
take over - and later pay 7,000 euros a month towards the rental costs
of the two participate.
Housing is such a thing in many contracts. Soccer pro s
are modern nomads, and some families are after several
Changing clubs tired of moving. But longer journeys to
The clubs don't like training, and that's how some Bundesliga clubs write
propose their pros to live close to their place of work. Regarding paragraph 2, the
At TSG 1899 Ho enheim, »duties of the player« belong: »The player
will be (with his family) in Sinsheim or in the surrounding area
settle down. «Ho enheim is a district of Sinsheim, in Sinsheim, a
City with 35,000 inhabitants, there is the stadium, a car museum,
Half-timbered houses, three autobahns and otherwise - well. The passage should
prevent players from living far away, for example in Frankfurt or
Stuttgart.
A similar clause can be found in VfL Wolfsburg contracts. Because
The saying has been going around for years not only among football pros,
according to which the best thing about Wolfsburg is the direct ICE connection to Berlin.
This is probably one of the reasons why a national player's contract says: »The
The player undertakes to buy an apartment or house in as quickly as possible
near the Volkswagen Arena (within a radius of 35 km). «
So happy if you have an offer directly from Berlin, Munich or
Hamburg gets. A couple of drawbacks are even then
can not be avoided. The choice of the automobile, for example, is not free. Almost all

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First division clubs have a car manufacturer in their sponsor pool. And the
would of course like the heroes of the club with its product too
are seen. So they must "on business occasions and without exception
for private companies regularly «the ones made available
Use vehicles. Some stars feel it is a tough limitation
To be able to move the private Ferrari at best when nobody is looking.
Many of the clauses primarily serve to improve the image and the brand
of the association as positively as possible. The players are
Workers, they are the main representatives of the clubs, they should
follow employer's rules. Some players have to do this
apparently make it particularly clear.
From a pedagogical point of view, the most insane contract was drawn up by FC
Liverpool when he met Italian striker Mario Balotelli in 2014
committed to a giant with the image of a difficult child:
because of fights with teammates, a room fire
Fireworks, tons of tickets for wrong parking and
countless Refusals to Assaults or
Referee insults. The Premier League club agreed with
Balotelli under Section 8, Payment, a "Good Conduct Bonus".
It says: If the player less than three times during a season
is sent off for bad behavior, he receives one
Million pounds. Balotelli took this bonus with him - he did not receive a single one
Red card.
However, his performance was so poor that he only received 16 premier
League games and only scored a single goal. Liverpool
deported him to Milan, on August 31, 2016 he was transferred to the OGC
Nice sell. There is also one in Balotelli's new contract with the French
lucrative etiquette included, it is called »prime d'assiduité et
d'éthique ", translated into German:" Premium for conscience and
ethical behavior «. It is a long passage in which much of
respectful behavior towards opponents and referees, by
exemplary professional understanding and listening, friendly interaction with
is the talk of your own fans. In short: gives Balotelli in Nice
Musterpro, then he gets his basic salary of 405,000 euros in

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Month 45,000 euros on top.

THE EXIT CLAUSE: DIVING MAKES RICH

14 paragraphs on twelve closely described pages, that's the one

Licensed player contract signed by football pro Kevin Volland on July 26, 2013
signed with TSG Ho enheim. Born in Bavaria, he was 20 at the time
Years old and one of the greatest o ensive talents in the country. Quite a few clubs
had tried to get Volland, Ho enheim was very happy about that
Transfer, until 2017 the club had tied the striker to itself. And yet
there is something strange about this contract: the germ of separation is in
him.
Paragraph 10c takes up a lot of space, about three pages:
The chapter is headed “Special right of termination”. Clause 10c,
Paragraph 1 says in a nutshell: If Ho enheim is out of the first division
goes down, Volland can move to another club - for 7.5 million
Euro transfer fee. When the new club joins Volland for the champions
League quali ed, it will be a little more expensive (plus 500,000 euros). Even if
Volland becomes a national player there (100,000 euros) or if Volland joins
The future club has played 30 mandatory matches (350,000 euros)
it a little more. And if the new club - at some point - the striker
resold, Ho enheim receives 20 percent of the transfer proceeds , the
Exceeds 7.5 million euros.
But it says on page eight that not only the club should be from one
Benefit from an early switch: Volland will then also receive one
Special payment of 250,000 euros and 25 percent of that
Participation in transfer proceeds exceeding EUR 7.5 million.
Complicated? It gets better. Clause 10c, paragraph 2 states that
if the new club Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Schalke 04,
Bayer Leverkusen or VfL Wolfsburg is the name of the transfer fee
9.9 million euros. Plus the above surcharges, plus one
Special payment for Volland in the amount of 500,000 euros.
Roger that? Okay, then Paragraph 10c, Paragraph 3: »Should be the player
his second compulsory game play for the A-

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Complete the national team or for ... a World Cup / European Championship finals

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be nominated
Transfer pays.«,Plus
so he may terminate
surcharges, if a club
plus special 15 million euros
payment.
Still in the game? Then there is paragraph 10c, paragraph 4: Will Volland
coveted by a "foreign club", its transfer fee is also charged
15 million euros. Plus surcharges and special payments. At the
There are no limits to creativity.
The attention to detail in which one already has when concluding a contract
whose termination regulates seems insane. With a lot of effort and
large scouting departments track down the clubs around the world
Ball artists who have to take part in the championship, to participate in the Champions League
should help generate even more income. And if the gifted then
are contracted, that passage is the most important in which
it regulates how to separate. But that's not crazy, it just is
cynical. Football players aren't just ordinary workers, they are
are the club's capital. And there is nothing to give away.
Also because of such lucrative special termination rules
Pro clubs have no interest in a contract simply ending.
Every expiring contract is a capital destruction document. For 22 years
is that so. At that time, a Belgian pro named Jean-Marc Bosman competed
a judgment before the European Court of Justice. It pried one
decades of practice. Even if a contract had expired, e
the donating association - according to a certain calculation key -
request a transfer. The Bosman ruling ended this type of
Human trafficking. At first, the industry was shocked and the system failed
into a tailspin, but now the clubs, players and agents have changed
sorted. If a contract is nearing the end of its term, the club becomes
do much, if not everything, to prolong it. Even if both
Parties want the change: The player will first extend the contract -
and pay dearly for it through a signing fee, a
Special payment when parting or by participating in
Transfer proceeds.
“Extensions,” explains a long-time club manager, “are almost possible
always accompanied by release clauses. «A player's agent will always be on it

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make sure that the club does not sell deterrent fancy prices
can demand: »The transfer fee should be fixed and as low as possible
be - and thus attractive for other clubs. «Special termination rights,
commonly known as exit clauses, are a means of doing business, especially with top workers
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Career planning - and cashing in.

In 2014, this also applied to the relationship between TSG Ho enheim and
Kevin Volland. After only nine months, the club and the players came to an agreement
an "amendment agreement": Volland's special right of termination became
postponed by one year to June 2015. In return, the pro received »one
one-time special payment of EUR 1,000,000 gross «. Another
Million promised the modified contract should Volland deny it
Ho enheimers will remain loyal to 2015
Career planning went according to plan. And also the cash register.
Volland made his debut in the national team, remained loyal to Ho enheim in 2015 and
was sold to Bayer Leverkusen in July 2016. Ho enheim got one
Transfer compensation in the amount of 20 million euros, according to
Volland received a release clause of over two million euros. A
Precision landing. Twelve months later, Volland's contract would have expired.
And its value dropped to zero.

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THE CRISIS

The passages that are now here and in the further course of this book in the I-
Form are the experiences of the SPIEGEL reporter Rafael

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Bushman. He's got John the Football Leaks Whistleblower personally

got to know and met again and again over months.

My head is spinning. For weeks we've only seen contracts, contracts

Contracts. The many millions, the absurd clauses, the countless tricks
and lies - I need a break. It's the middle of February, mine
Mother-in-law celebrates her birthday, a good chance a little
switch off. We meet in a small ski hut somewhere in the
Sauerland, it's quaint, the atmosphere is exuberant. Around half past one at night
I take a quick look at my phone. A message from "FL" lights up
on my display.
I've stopped counting now, but I think the number is
of the emails we exchanged in the past few weeks, almost in the
has reached the four-digit range. »FL« continues to write mainly
at night, preferably well after midnight. I'll grab my beer and
I move to a corner of the room to read the message in peace
can. The internet is weak, we are on a mountain somewhere, deepest
Province, no sign of WiFi. It takes forever to get the mail
opens up: “Rafael, I have to be honest with you, it all starts for us
Depress. ”I'm suddenly sober.
»Football Leaks has only received worldwide attention because
because we have a couple of contracts from Real Madrid and other big names
have published. But it's not what we want. We are not
to the stars, celebrities and regular employment contracts. Maybe that is a
Aspect to better understand today's football business. But
our main goal is to eliminate hidden clauses, illegal fees and oshore
To reveal structures in football. All the criminal things. We
are tired and are seriously considering finishing the project. since

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September we didn't earn a Bitcoin with Football Leaks, and

We don't have an excess of money. We receive tons every day
emails and we spend too much time sifting through them. And what for
the whole? People just don't care about the dirt in the
Soccer. Right now it feels like this project is ours
overwhelm, we can barely breathe. Best regards, FL. "
What happened? Is that just a whim? Is "FL" having a bad day?
Or are the web rebels really so frustrated that they aren't

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want
I havetotocontinue? What then
collect myself, think.happens to theis500
The internet so gigabytes
slow here of material?
that
I'm going insane I'm going out. It's cold and it's easy
snowed. I'm running down the mountain, I'm on the road for about an hour
until I have reasonably acceptable reception on my cell phone. After all
This leaves enough time to think about an answer.
I write "FL" that I have had several over the past few years
Have experienced research in which we too had to realize with frustration,
that the public is only interested in parts, such as dirty ones
Business in football. I remember a letter to the editor that I wrote after the
Got coverage of the summer fairy tale scandal and in which
it said that we should all be happy that the World Cup only
Would have cost 6.7 million euros. I tell »FL« about my research
on match fixing and how the Bundesliga just continued,
although it was clear that games would also be postponed in top German football
were. I think I write that football is for the fans too
A surrogate religion has become that some have so unconditionally become involved in sport
Confess to the Catholic Church like believers in the past. Included
Letters of indulgence that are being sold today as stadium tickets. My long
I end the somewhat confused answer with the offer: "If you want to talk,
we can meet anytime anywhere. "
I'll send the mail shortly before three o'clock. While I slowly
Stroll up again - at this time a mountain can be quite steep
his - my phone flashes again: another message from "FL". I
stop, read: "I think you are right, we should see each other." I
I also have to explain some things to you that I have never seen before

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have declared. Would you like to meet me for a background discussion? But
You have to promise that you will not write anything about our identities
will! Best regards, FL. «
It's Sunday morning, I write "FL" that I either have it today
In the evening or on Monday. But: where should I go?
To Portugal? After a few minutes he will send me a password. over
another communication path it sends a link to one
Encryption program. I only have that before
Encryption so ware PGP used to secure my mail. I am
not an IT freak, and now I'm sitting outside in the cold on a street
who hasn't driven past a car in over an hour and read one for me
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a long manual in English to understand how to use "FLs"

If you wish, you can install another encryption program. It
is a mail so ware I've never heard of before. The
Username changes every few seconds, the sent and
Received mails are automatically deleted after a few minutes.
It takes more than half an hour to get ready to go. "FL" gave me
already left a message in my mailbox. He writes, he
would like to see me on Monday in an Eastern European metropolis and
asks me not to reveal the name of the city to anyone. He knows
not yet whether he will come alone and asks if it is okay with me,
if he brings someone with him.
I am excited and curious. Of course, he could bring whoever he wanted
would like, I answer. It has to be as comfortable as possible for him, he
must feel good. I ask "FL" when and where exactly I should come.
I will not receive an answer to that this night.

THE FIRST MEETING

On Sunday lunchtime I ask my department head Michael Wulzinger what he is doing

holding on to the invitation. We weigh up the risks, so far nobody can
say for sure if not some criminals behind football
Stuck leaks. But if you track down illegal machinations
If you want to come, you have to talk to people who

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are dangerous. To be on the safe side, we agree that I will at least

report to the editorial office twice a day. Somehow. Otherwise: flight
book and go!
I'll take an early flight, I left the return open to see who
knows how long the meeting with »FL« will take. Just before I go
The plane is climbing, another message flashes on my phone: “Let go
meet us at 2 p.m. The best thing to do is to get a room in the hotel
xxx. I'll get there then, ”writes“ FL ”.
In the city where we meet the streets have deep potholes
if the houses exude the typical socialist charm, they become
But also prefabricated buildings of magnificent villas
interrupted. Rich and poor, the east shows from the first few meters
the contradictions that make it up. The way from the airport to the

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Downtown is not particularly long, I drive past a lot of shops

and over a large bridge. My hotel, a newfangled bunker, is located
on the edge of the promenade.
I'm two hours early. It's roaring hot in my room
the heating cannot be turned down. At the reception they say, man
I will take care of it, but they could give me another room
do not admit that the house is fully booked. The sauna temperature in the room is
anything but ideal for a first informant meeting.
I lie down on the bed and check the football leaks page again.
Most recently, a spectacular revelation was posted there: a contract
between David de Gea, Real Madrid and Manchester United. The
Spanish goalkeeper should actually switch to Los Blancos, but his
Transfer documents came only a few minutes after the
Change deadline at the Spanish association. An unbelievable mistake that shows
how amateurha is sometimes done even at top clubs. By
the revelations of Football Leaks are now even the faux pas
financially: Due to the sloppiness, de Gea are not just a xes
Hand money of 10.9 million euros escaped, but also an annual one
Salary of 11.8 million. With a six-year contract, that makes a difference
Total volume of around 82 million euros. Everything gone because
someone couldn't operate the fax machine.

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Shortly before 2 p.m. I get slightly nervous and tense. What does »FL« look like?
Large? Small? Is he a loud or a quiet person? Is he intelligent?
And who does he bring with him? How do I start the conversation? What do i call him
at all? I stare at the door and wait. A question can be asked soon
answer: »FL« is not a punctual person. Just before 4 p.m.
my display lights up: “I'll be there soon. FL «. At 4:50 p.m. it finally knocked
at my door. »FL« kept me waiting for almost three hours.
I jump off the bed and open. I would be lying if I pretend
that I imagined »FL« to be like that. A young man is standing in front of me
with watchful eyes. Slim, black hair, slight beard. Although it
is bitterly cold outside, he only wears a thin denim jacket, including a T-
Shirt with the imprint of a half-naked woman. His handshake is firm.
I feel a little like on a blind date and try to make mine
Cover up nervousness by making a few stupid sayings about them
make roaring heating. It's a hot in this room, both of us
sweat. Fortunately, "FL" laughs, I offer him nuts and water
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the minibar. He'd rather have a beer. I like that.

"Is anyone else coming?" I ask.
"For today it stays with both of us," says "FL".
"Should I call you 'FL' or John?" I ask.
“Call me John. But let's go to breakfast for now. "

TWO NIGHTS, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DATES

John goes ahead, the hotel ur is long and narrow. He moves fast
but not hectic, exudes self-confidence without talking much. In front
In the elevator, he turns his back to the hotel camera, just looks
on the ground. He's careful, how could it be otherwise? Silent
let's go to the lobby.
Outside on the street, John seems more nervous than in the hotel. He says he does
know a good café nearby, but before we go he peeps
once up and down the street. Also the opposite building
he inspects, especially the windows. I stand by
and try either to follow his gaze or to watch him. It

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feels like forever before we wander off

We do a little small talk, he tells me something about the city
that we are in and that he likes to visit her: “The nightlife is here
simply unbelievable! «He travels around a lot at the moment, rarely stays longer than
two nights in one place: »Everything else is too dangerous at the moment, but
I'll tell you later. ”John makes very clear statements. How does that fit
How to react to the frustrated email he wrote me over the weekend
and in which he pondered the end of the project? John says he wants
on the open street neither about "the project", as he calls Football Leaks,
talk about the police or something like that.
“And if someone asks you what you do, don't say what you do
really do. He'll find something else, be a lawyer or a teacher or something «,
says John.
"Who should ask me about my job?"
“I know a lot of people here, and more people know me.
Maybe we'll meet someone. Then you have to say that we used to be
once studied together, for example an exchange year, «says John.
Where did I get into here?
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We have reached the café. John prances through the door, legs apart
Stand in the entrance area and yell across the shop that we are
want to sit down at a table for two. The waitress looks a bit confused.
John, I'll watch that later, he has the ability to do a whole
Space in seconds with its aura, wit and charm
to take. As we walk past the tables, he says that
People who sit there that their food looked good or that the co ee
smell delicious. He compliments a younger woman on her hairstyle, her
laughs and touches his hair. In a few moments John will come with them
A conversation with guests at the café, he has no inhibitions in front of strangers.
We sit down at one of the back tables. With a young waitress
John orders a chocolate cake and lemonade. As the
Waitress is gone, he whispers: “My sugar level is over. I have the
Didn't sleep all last night, we've got hundreds of new documents
get a lot of bonus contracts, but also documents to a very great extent
dubious funds. Can I show you everything later. "

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When he leans over the table like that, it looks to me like he's got
he just didn't sleep last night. John doesn't have any
Dark circles are deep, gray bags. Still, his face looks very much
young, he has hardly any wrinkles, plus a constant mischievous smile.
I would like to find out more about him, and I'm curious to see what he's been up to
Life is gone, why he became who he is. But before
When I address such sensitive issues, John gives a few clear rules:
“You won't write anything about what I do here, how I look where I am
me old. You promised that, I trust your word. You
have to understand, I don't want to end up like Julian Assange or Bradley
Manning. Locked up in some embassy or prison, just
because you want to show the world the truth. "
“We are happy to set the rules of the game: I'll tell you exactly beforehand
say which details pertaining to your person I will publish.
You can then decide what and how much I reveal about you
may. But I want to write just as much as I do that we met
I will continue to report on your goals and your work, ”I say.
John's answer is short: "These are good rules."
I don't usually make such concessions. For one
It is important for reporters to be able to report freely and independently, without

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Restrictions. But usually I don't have one either

anonymous source to do that at 500 gigabytes highly exciting
Data material sits. At the moment I don't know where the meeting is going
will develop. I'll end up with a story about that
Write a whistleblower? Or do we get data first and hold
our source, for her own protection and because she wishes, on
secret? We will see. For now: chocolate cake.
The hours with John in the café are racing by. It's entertaining, has one
good general education, talks about small and large topics, about
Backpacking trips in Asia and America, the refugee crisis, the euro crisis in
Greece: »I think everything that happens in this world is related
all together. Who the refugee crisis without the western
Weapons deliveries to the states in the Middle East valued nothing
I understand, ”says John.

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An escalating discussion about the unfolds between us

Inequality of income, tax systems, resources. Johns
Attitude cannot simply be located in the political spectrum, but
he has a clear stance on many questions. He is against the uncontrolled
Admission of refugees, but for that Middle Eastern countries
take responsibility for all the people who come from Afghanistan,
Syria and Iraq. John thinks it's nonsense that the European
Union supported Greece with such immense financial aid while
»On the other hand, billions of euros in Greek citizens
some letters are lying in the Caribbean «. He holds open
Limits to error as long as there is no fair wage in Europe.
He is an interesting person to talk to with argumentative thoughts. It
it quickly becomes clear that he has read a lot of subjects and that he
has no desire to adapt his opinion to the mainstream that he likes
offends and also thinks about complex issues. John speaks five
Fluent in languages, he is currently learning two more. One of them is Russian. He
considers Russia an exciting country, even if it is there »from corruption
teeming with it «.
I want to know more about him. John tells that he was born in Portugal
and still has a residence there. But the land drives him
into madness: »Portugal has a catastrophic policy, the economy
and banking do what they want. Actually, they are
actual drivers of this country, and that is entirely at the expense of
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young people. There are hardly any laws that regulate the younger ones
Allow access to the labor market, so many of the well-educated leave
Academics go abroad during their studies and come
then not back either. The country is giving away its offspring,
his future. "
John also has a girlfriend, but it's complicated. Because of the
Secrecy about "the project" he had to relocate her in the end,
sometimes lie. »No woman likes that, but I have to set priorities«,
says John. He compares the past few months with a drug intoxication:
“I've never felt more adrenaline. Through the project, I feel
me very much alive and believe that through our revelations I will

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can initiate important changes. "

There are only a few crumbs left of the chocolate cake
stayed that John with his fork like a soccer ball over his plate
snaps. I notice that the skin around his fingernails is strong
nibbled off, likely a reaction to the pressure he is
has to endure.
I ask him how long he has time for me. “I'll be yours in a moment
show a few things. Then we go to the Champions League together
watch and then celebrate a bit. And if you do tomorrow night
could still stay here, I'll take you to one of the best parties
the world. ”Not bad plans for a business trip. I tell him that
I would have to write an email to my boss in between, otherwise
would they think I was kidnapped or, worse, me
would have dropped. John laughs out loud, rubs his eyes with his hand.
After all, the sugar intake meant that he was back a bit
Has color on his face.
John asks for the bill, he doesn't want to talk any more in the café.
"We've been in the same place for too long," he says. He is still irting
a bit with the blonde waitress, invites you to a party in the
next week. He changes from English to the national language,
I don't understand anything anymore, but I see the waitress start to giggle.
John types a phone number into his cell phone. The woman gets another one
Hug, and we're back on the road again.
Here the ritual repeats itself, which I observed in front of the hotel
could: Twice in a row we gave John a quick look to the left
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and right, he is constantly checking the situation. “There are many people who have a lot
to make Football Leaks exist locally, "he says," we have to
be careful. ”John pounds on old buildings and a large river
past, if possible, he turns into side streets. Again and again he looks
backwards, makes sure that nobody follows him. Before a big one
gray office building he stops. The plaster is peeling off the walls
large outside staircase has deep cracks, some of the window sills are
canceled. But the front door has an electronic one
Security system protected, only those who have a chip card can get in.

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The house ur is narrow and dark, huge spiral stairs lead into it
upper floors. The elevator is out of order, at least it suggests
Police tape out there. We enter one of the upper floors
Apartment or an office, it cannot be seen that clearly in the dark. It
smells of frying fat, TV voices come from somewhere. From the corridor
there are five rooms, all closed with massive doors. In a
A young man stands and turns sausages in the communal kitchen
Pan. He's just as unresponsive to a greeting as he is to another
Person going to the toilet with his head down. Football folks too
Leaks? John smiles wryly and doesn't say anything.
It opens a door that is insulated several times from the outside and inside and with
is covered in white leather. In the approximately 15 square meter room
is a mattress on a folded couch, on one
Clothes horse dry a pair of underpants. The only window is from
covered by an opaque curtain. No TV, no decoration,
no photos, no plants. There is only a white one on the desk
Notebook.
“Don't sit on the chair, it's not there to sit on, or it'll crack
a. Take the bed or the floor, ”John says, pointing to one of them
rickety armchair with old newspapers and magazines on it. I see
English, Italian, Portuguese headlines. It looks like it would
John collect the articles on Football Leaks. He says he's coming soon
again, and walks out of the room. I look around a little more closely, see
Dozens of cables next to the desk, some connected,
others are in a box. Boxes flashing like under the desk
Router look like. But that many routers cannot work side by side
stand. What for? I only have a limited technical

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Understanding, and these devices actually exceed mine

Imagination I'll have to ask John.
After a few minutes the bulky door opens again. John is coming
some portable hard drives back. He connects them to the computer
fiddles with the flashing boxes downstairs, enters passwords,
fiddling with the speakers again, then with the hard drives. I lose
complete overview. Documents suddenly appear on the screen

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on. Thousands. They are contracts from players. The names that go with it
could come from the list of a world selection: Neymar, Alex
Teixeira, Fernando Torres, the 2010 Spanish World Champion, Raphaël
Varane, French international at Real Madrid, the Croatian
Playmaker Luka Modrić, the Portuguese defender Pepe.
Another box flashes next to the computer, probably the one
Internet router. There are always new documents in the small one
Room on.
"Who is sending you all that stuff?" I ask.
John doesn't look up at me, instead he says in a calm tone: “We
have very reputable, reliable sources. But some of our sources know
not that they are our sources. The important thing is: All of our documents are
real. ”The answer obscures more than it explains.
"So you're a hacker?" I ask.
“No, I'm not a hacker, and neither are any of us. I have
never studied computer science either. We get the things, but I'm telling you
not where from, ”says John.
“But you know about computers. Do you have all of this yourself
taught? ”I ask.
“I'm interested in technology, yes. And I read about it a little bit.
But come on, I want to show you something now, "says John.
He clicks on the Football Leaks website, looks at the documents,
which will appear on the homepage in the coming days. "Should
If I get haunted or something worse happens to me, it is ensured that
the releases still don't stop, ”says John. There are
Backup copies of his treasure trove of documents, they're on
hidden in different places. He shows me a map of the world on the
Screen with around a dozen red dots. Should the football
Leaks site seven days in a row not using a special code
are operated, a computer begins with all the contracts and
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Agreements little by little to the anonymous mailbox of the

WikiLeaks disclosure platform and selected media
to ship. A kind of time bomb is ticking.
John is sitting in front of his notebook with his eyes closed, typing

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further numbers and codes. It looks like he's forgetting that

I'm next to him in the room. He reminds me of Leonardo DiCaprio, who was in
plays an ingenious check forger in the film "Catch Me If You Can".
Quite calm on the outside, but boiling inside.
John says, “I could just contact the authorities with my current data
worldwide tax fraud in the three-digit million range.
But I hope they'll take their time with my behavior. ”He
laughs. Catch me if you can.
Why is he doing all this, why is he taking such risks? Just as
I want to ask him, it flashes on John's computer. A message,
sent from an address that consists only of numbers and characters. It
a newspaper clipping appears, it is about the transfer of Gareth Bale,
the Football Leaks revealed a few days ago. Now John is reading that three
EU parliamentarians an independent investigation of the 100 million
Request transfers. From the contracts published by Football Leaks
it emerged that Spanish banks were acting as guarantors for the deal.
These banks were only in 2012 with around 40 billion euros
saved from ruin by public means. The MEPs
therefore accuse the institutes of having the risk to the balance
Transfer dumped at the European taxpayer. It's a dicey one
News that is causing quite a stir internationally.
John first clenches his fist and then claps his hands. “Do for it
we that! Exactly for that! We want to open people's eyes, to them
show that all of football has become one big criminal organization
is. There is no longer any transfer without illegality or at least borderline
Trickery instead, ”says John.
He looks at his watch: "Come on, let's go celebrate!" John works his own
Close the computer, unplug the hard drives, press around on the boxes and
leaves the room again. Where does he take all this stuff anyway?
"I'm hungry. We go out to eat first and can play soccer
watch. «In a few minutes the Champions League game will start
Real Madrid and AS Roma. We stroll off, it's already outside
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dark, John almost only chooses streets that are not lit. He knows himself
out in this town, no question about it.

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“What's your favorite club?” He asks me.

"Borussia Dortmund," I say.
We're talking about BVB's big games against Juventus Turin in
the 1990s, the 1997 Champions League victory. John can do that
Praying down Borussia lineups, still remembers the big one
Rescue act by Jürgen Kohler against Manchester United's Éric Cantona im
Half nale, we're talking about Lars Rickens Lupfer from the endgame,
Matthias Sammers advances as a Libero, Júlio César's calm and toughness.
“But even then the football was broken. Dortmund has
Dozens of millions in debt owed to play this football too
can. The bosses almost destroyed the club. How can something like that
be? Why didn't anyone check them? And why did football
learned nothing from it? ”says John. I cannot contradict him.
I'm not allowed to write who his favorite club is, otherwise you would
accused of running this project on behalf of this association, says John.
"But that's complete nonsense, we're not dependent on any club,
we don't work for anyone in the football industry. "
The Football Leaks Page also has documents related to Johns
Favorite player, his compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo: »He's the best
Player of the world, maybe even history. ”And Ronaldo deserves it
sensational, that was what the world was able to do in the past few days
Check out the Football Leaks page. For a video and photo shoot, five
autographed jerseys and two mentions on his Facebook or
For example, Ronaldo received € 1.1 million from a Twitter site
Saudi Arabian cellular operator. Such deals show how grotesque the
Has become a peripheral market for everything to do with football. Like everyone else
insignificant sponsor or investor after even the smallest one
Sparkles of the great shine of the superstars shine like the fees
explode and all grounding is lost. Cristiano Ronaldo will
in the coming weeks and months still very much evidence of this
to be, as if unleashed, you could also say: crazy, all of this
Football industry meanwhile is.
“We publish everything, every filthy detail. Of course, too
Documents about our favorite players and clubs, ”says John.

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"Nobody is spared."
Shortly before the Anp we are sitting in a kind of restaurant directly under the
Large screen. It smells like meat and fried food, the shop is
packed full of young people, it is incredibly loud, and the
Commentator of the match seems to be on speed or another
to be a stimulant drug. But maybe the speakers are simple
just over-regulated, because in addition to the soccer voice, there is also music booming.
John orders the Serbian meat platter with a huge mountain full of it
French fries. There is also beer. A lot of beer. The game starts, Ronaldo is
large in the picture: »It is a strange feeling to watch Real Madrid and
while knowing all the secrets of the players. We have almost everything:
Salaries, sponsorship contracts, bonuses and especially the accounts and
Bank statements. We know where they're taking their money, ”John whispers.
While we eat, we speak little, instead we look at the
Screen. Real is having a hard time, the Roma defend well. It's a tough one
Game, not for event fans. »I really enjoy playing football since I was a
was a small child. I used to spend hours with my friends
Kicked outside, today I always meet once or twice a week
still with colleagues and games. The sport is great, it brings so many
People together, let them celebrate and mourn together. Where is there
the fact that a craftsman does something with a doctor?
Or that complete strangers talk about their lives? At the
It happens all the time in football matches, but also in standing areas in the stadium.
Football has to keep that, and I don't want to let this happen
Sport is being destroyed by some greedy manager, ”says John.
He orders schnapps with the beer, the high-proof stuff smells like a
strict perfume. Not nice. I'm starting to worry about that
to do next day.
57th Minute: The Roma came out of the break much better, that
I can tell despite the beers. The pressure from the Italians is going up by the minute
bigger by the minute and then, out of nowhere: through ball to Ronaldo, the
puts the ball in front of the heel, flick into the far corner, lead for
Real.
John goes nuts. He jumps up, puts his fists in the air, roars

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his joy out. For someone who doesn't really want to be seen
he's attracting quite a bit of attention right now. “It's easy
Ronaldo! A genius! Much better than Messi, much more complete! I love him
to watch, its gates are art «, ru John. So much emotionality comes
initially surprising. But when John starts talking about football
if you believe that he is a real fan, that this sport is from him
the important thing is that maybe his reasons for football leaks are really in it
lie to clean the sport.
John orders two more schnapps, then takes out a smartphone
and shows me some emails. "Our documents seem to be in great demand",
he says. A supposed player agent writes that he wants the whole
Buy record. "I could me a sum of up to 650 000 euro
introduce yourself. ”John shakes his head. “If I sell myself, I am
no better than all the others out there, ”he says. He shows me some too
E-mails from the tabloid media offering him money for the documents: “The
only want sensations and not the real stories. I will answer
not even to such inquiries. "
»Isn't it dangerous to use a smartphone? You could
be located, ”I ask.
John laughs at me. He shows me a program on his phone:
While John stops the remains of the Serbian slaughterhouse,
coordinates can be seen on his mobile phone for a location nearby
of the North Pole. John thinks some snoopers
trying to find his location, so he uses a so ware
that manipulates the device's GPS receiver. There are things.
The game is over, Real wins 2-0. We'll have two more quick ones
Schnapps at the end. "Now let's go celebrate a bit," says
John. I listen to my inner self and think that the celebration will take me so far
was completely sufficient. John, on the other hand, seems completely sober. The
it's going to be a tough night.
We take a taxi to a huge concrete plant. From the outside is
Listening to loud music, young people flock towards one
Basement entrance. We walk side by side in silence, fresh Lu
is good to get a little clearer again. We enter an underground

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Pub, no windows, deep ceilings from which sweat drips down.

The dance floor is overcrowded, somewhere behind all the people
a live band. I turn around and get a beer straight into it
Hand pressed. John is standing in a group, gesturing with both hands,
everybody is laughing.
We chat, drink, dance and play table football. Around five in the morning
I sit at a corner table and try to collect myself a little. John
sits down next to me, he's sweaty from dancing: "We have to work hard,
to clean up all the dirt That will not be easy. If you want,
I can give you nearly 800 gigabytes of our material tomorrow, "says John.
800? That's another 300 gigabytes more than he last announced.
It sounds like an incredible treasure, a mountain of data like it
has never existed before in sports. I am electrified.
Despite my anticipation, I still have to ask John one more question: “Where from
is all that stuff coming? "
He looks at me a little pityingly: “I won't tell you.
But we should go to sleep for a few hours now. "Heavens, yes,
at last!
We stumble out of the shop, a young blonde is walking next to us
Mrs. “We need two taxis. I'll get in touch with you tomorrow, then go
we'll have breakfast together. ”John waves, gets into the car with his companion
Car and is gone. I'll walk a few more meters, just to be on the safe side
my cell phone alarm clock at ten o'clock and grab a taxi as well.
That's enough for today.

HEADACHE, JOE COCKER, HARD DISKS

My head feels like it's going to explode. I feel incredibly sick.

The amount and mix of alcohol from the previous night gives way
clearly different from what I usually do, my body is one of them
Not used to escalation. I try to get up, but damn it
Room turns. I pick up my cell phone and text John that I do
be awake. He can get in touch with me. I write to my bosses
that everything is fine and that I will be back in Hamburg the next day

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could be.
I slowly get ready and then go outside, but it
It will take me forever to restore myself to some extent
feel. Around 3 p.m. I still haven't got a message from John. I
Write to him that I am going to have a bite to eat and he will ask himself
should report. At the thought of being able to get all the data,
I get a little excited. That would be a nice treasure through which we
we could dig a deeper insight into the heart of the
Football industry is unlikely to be found.
I buy a piece of salami pizza, greasy, dripping, just the thing
against this monster tomcat. While I'm walking around town, come on
a thought to me: what if John shouldn't answer again? If I
said something wrong or stupid yesterday and he just said it
stay away? I get nervous and decide to go back to the hotel to
to wait there. Lying on the bed, I keep checking our chat, but
nothing happens. At some point I fall asleep.
A loud knock on my door wakes me up. I look at mine
Cell phone, it's shortly before 7 p.m., outside it's already dark again. I open
the door.
"You look like shit," says John.
He, too, is pale as a corpse, everything is gray around his nose, he is still wearing
the t-shirt from the day before and smells like that too. We laugh. He says he did
Hunger, time for breakfast. We go back to the cafe
Chocolate cake and lemonade seem to be his pick-me-ups.
This time we only stay a short time. John says he needs a few more things
to prepare. We go to the building we were in yesterday, and
sit down in front of his laptop. Thousands appear on the screen
PDFs and other file formats. He says, “Take a look at these things, me
go take a shower. "
Where should I start? I click through the contracts, see
Tons of material on the football industry's superstars, Zlatan
Ibrahimović, Mesut Özil, Paul Pogba, many documents related to the
Spanish top clubs Real and Atlético Madrid, but also Borussia
Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen, a couple of contracts from Bayern Munich,

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VfL Wolfsburg, a lot of transfers to player agents. Without

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I know
Johnstraight
comes away: I want
back. He to more
looks have alive
what again,
it takes.his cheeks have got
even a slightly reddish tone. I tell him all of this is me
interested. He nods.
"Can I take the data with me?" I ask.
"No not yet. They have yet to be completed, ”says John.
I don't want to ask too many questions, not with my curiosity
scare, so I concentrate on the one important one: »When
can I get it? "
"We will see. Now let's go have a beer first, «says
John. My stomach is twitching.
Tonight, what a coincidence, there are two German-Portuguese
Matches on the schedule: Borussia Dortmund meets FC
Porto, Sporting Lisbon to Bayer Leverkusen. Europa League, a must for
John. We go to a pretty rocked pub with a floor like this
what is dirty is that the soles of the shoes stick to it. The bartender sees
as if he had to drink beer instead of breast milk as a baby
totally finished guy. John asks if he can turn on the BVB game for us.
"What do you want to drink?" Asks the bartender, whose voice is Joe's
Cocker is confusingly similar. We order two ales, dark beer.
"And what else?" Asks the barman. "Peanuts," I say. "Two vodka",
ru john. BVB appears on the screen.
We sit at the bar, away from the rest of the guests. The Joe Cocker imitation
hangs next to the zap and tries not to fall over. "Why
Don't the media question where the money for football comes from?
Why is it always only written about the transfer fees, but never
explains which dubious sponsors pump this money into the sport? «,
asks John. He's apparently in a hurry today to tackle the big issues
plow. I try to explain to him how difficult it is for the media to respond
to get hold of such information. That it is o completely non-transparent
whose funds an association accesses. Most clubs don't either
are obliged to provide details of their financiers, sponsors and income
Present to the public.

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And even if journalists find out what a club is like

If financed, they often come across opaque corporate realities. The
makes further research extremely difficult, because it is so with normal approaches
almost impossible to get the necessary information about the economic
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To get authorized persons of a company. Such information

can only come from sources or whistleblowers.
We discuss how patrons like the Chelsea owner Roman
Abramovich can maneuver huge sums of money into football without that
someone really knows how they made that money. Whether Silvio
Berlusconi used to work for AC Milan, the contractor Florentino Pérez
at Real Madrid and all the Chinese investors who are currently the
uten European market with their money - it seems to be a basic attitude
to be fresh capital in this sport without scruples, tests or questions
to accept from every direction.
John says that there is also an investment project in his data
African despot who absolutely invest in football
wool. Just like members of the Kazakh and Turkish Ma a or
Criminals from South America. “It's simple: in football you can
currently achieve the highest returns. Almost every young, well-educated one
Player increases its market value because there are more and more clubs that always
need more good players and can now pay them. There used to be
it was only the European market, where big money was made. today
Players can also be in Russia, Brazil, China and even India
become rich. But that also means: Every criminal can be
Pump dirty money into the industry and get it in the end
washed and mostly even returned with a return. But that is
crazy, ”says John.
He calls for the money to flow with the opening of the transfer markets
should be better controlled. Similar to the American one
Basketball and football pros do leagues in which the contracts, the salaries
and also the transfer fees are made public. “It would be in football
important that the consultants' fees are also disclosed «,
says John. He advocates full transparency in an industry that is acute
Has transparency allergy.

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Joe Cocker serves us two new beers, two vodka, but none
More peanuts: »Are empty.« BVB now leads the game 1-0
splashes along like that. But John is getting more and more into motion:
»Entrance fees for stadium visits are getting more and more expensive in England
a normal person can hardly see a game on site. Completely closed
There is no mention of jersey prices and TV subscriptions that are skyrocketing.

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The sport that belongs to the common people is moving further and further away from
them. And we all watch like some It-Girls and
Wannabe celebs sit in VIP bleachers and eat popcorn while
the players and officials the millions they earn from the fans,
as soon as possible in a letter rma, very far away from the
European tax authorities, parking. It's a sick system. A
System that cannot survive in the long run, ”says John.
He got so many kickbacks around the transfers
Portuguese player found so much nepotism between
Clubs and players' agents realized that at some point he would have easy
have to act, he says. “Then it took months to find a good one
Build up a structure to get access to internal documents. «Be it now
Network so stable that Football Leaks could work for years.
If he has the feeling that the public wants that too. "We
We get a lot of emails congratulating us on our project
are asked to continue. But we also see that it's o hard
Resistance from the fans of the clubs is about which we something
publish. Not to mention the attacks that resulted from the
Football industry is coming, ”says John.
He says there is ample evidence in his data that
Clubs and players' agents had hired private investigators on him. "But
not just anyone: Russians and former British elite soldiers, ”says John.
He's rummaging through some documents on his cell phone. There are Kazakh and
reading turkish names. If you google the names, they come up like
"Ma a", "Murder" and "Organized Crime". Has with these people
football leaks.
John says he doesn't know how long he'll keep his anonymity
could. He orders another round of beer, the vodka comes unsolicited

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to. Even the world's greatest player agent Jorge Mendes should
Private detectives have set on John and his colleagues. A
Portuguese public prosecutor's office determined, a few days ago a
Legal assistance request sent to an Eastern European country. It is getting serious.
But he is less afraid of the police, says John. Would worry him
the Minions prepare, the of Player agents or
Sports marketing agencies have been targeted on football leaks.
According to John, they didn't just settle their con icts with lawyers: “And

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I'm not in the mood to be concreted in any highway bridge

become."
I'm not sure how real the danger is to him. He really will
threatened or is he just paranoid? I just don't know enough about it yet
Football Leaks, about the structure, the people behind it, the motivation. I
ask John, “Are you really doing this project entirely voluntarily? who
finances yourselves? "
He sets the beer down. His eyes are awake, very clearly, he's looking at me
directly to: “There is no dark power or any mastermind behind
Football Leaks. The story is what it is: we are soccer fans, and
we want this sport to come back to us. That this
The industry is finally exploiting the fact that we understand where our money is
go and who gets rich. Call this naive or romantic. To me
but are all those who have nothing against the destruction of football
undertake, accomplices. "
Maybe Snowden, Manning, or Assange would be similar
argue. Just related to grievances in politics
Military or the secret services. John plays the role of the good, the
Believer in conviction, not the idealistic whistleblower, no, he gives
go to great lengths to live this role.
We talked for a long time, the game is almost over, on the
On TV we can still see the last passes of the Dortmund players. Abp,
BVB wins 2-0 against FC Porto. John accepts the defeat
emotionless. He leans over the sticky counter and asks if Joe
Cocker could turn on the Sporting Leverkusen game, but the barman
is a Liverpool fan and, bad luck, today Liverpool plays in Augsburg. We look

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So, like Jürgen Klopp with his English team for a game
returns to Germany. John argues a little with Joe
Cocker and threatened that we would stop drinking vodka. The
Barman leaves that cold. In the next round there is double that again
Place setting.
We move on. This time it's going to a club, lots of people, a lot
young. We dance, we drink, we party until about three in the morning. Then
let's make our way back. I have to go at six o'clock
Drive to the airport and can't believe why I was an idiot so early
Booked flight. John pulls me out of my thoughts. He says right
suddenly that he wanted to get out of the project. It just costs him
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too much energy. That's exactly why I should visit him. Just
We have hardly talked about it so far.
"Let's go to my place," says John. We get into a taxi on the way
both of us close our eyes. About half an hour later we are seated
back in the small room, the laptop hums softly to itself.
Somewhere in the house a couple is having fun, we can hear them clearly.
"That's the way life should be!" Says John, slurping heavily. He hands me two
Hard drives over.
“That's more than 800 gigabytes. First start with this material
let's see if you can get more. In the data
There is a lot to nd about Ronaldo's tax-saving models, but also about one
Player advisory ring. They cheat the tax too, ”says John.
"How will things go on with your side?" I ask.
"I dont know. We'll discuss that, ”says John.
"Can you tell me how many you are in total?"
“Let it be. And get in touch when you've landed. "
I take the hard drives, we hug goodbye, he brings
me in front of the door. Outside it makes a short "pling". John fetches his
Cell phone out of his pants, he says a new data packet has arrived. He
mumbles something about Adidas, the sports marketing giant, and also about
a German, Dietmar Hopp. To the patron of TSG 1899 Ho enheim.
It's about an investor model. John starts reading immediately.

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TO INDULGE

His fortune, says Dietmar Hopp, is around 7.6 billion euros. But
what does that mean? Four weeks later it can be 7.8 or 7.4 billion
be almost three percent up or down. Because Hopp's wealth exists
mainly from his ten percent stake in the so ware rma SAP, which he
founded more than 40 years ago with four other partners.
Dietmar Hopp, born at the beginning of the Second World War, in
Growing up in a modest and middle-class family is a
generous person. About his foundation, which is supported by dividends from the SAP
Papers is fed, he has over the years half a billion euros

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Donated to medical research, clinics, and education

social projects ought, primarily in the Rhine-Neckar region.
And he made a football club big, TSG Ho enheim, die
today TSG 1899 Ho enheim is called - presumably to confirm that the
Club also has a history before Hopp. Around 350 million euros
the billionaire pumped into his home club in just under three decades,
who was still bobbing in the district league A in 1989 and since 2008 in the football
Bundesliga plays. An unparalleled success story that without hops
Investments in the team, the office, the training center
and above all the stadium would have been unthinkable. The Kraichgau is
Dietmar-Hopp-Land. The road to the new stadium in Sinsheim is
named after him just like the old sports field in Ho enheim.
While his social and social commitment was the same as before
Corporate leaders bring admiration and he with honors and prizes
and medals become overwhelmed, his patronage in football divides them
People. Beyond Sinsheim, the billionaire beats many times
Contempt. "Son of a whore" is the standard insult, the
Fans of opposing teams have been voting for almost ten years, though
Hopp comes to mind or when they see him in his box.
For them, the billionaire is the ideal enemy against whom they pent up
Abreacting emotions: envy, anger, scorn. Because

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Ho enheim is not only rich. Ho enheim is also successful.

Hopp doesn't understand this hostility. He also wants to be a football patron
be respected as much as a patron of medicine. Since Ho enheim in the
First division promoted, he has given numerous interviews in which it
about his role as the almighty patron of the association. Stressed again and again
Stop the social significance of sport, football as a character subject, that
Team play as a school of life. His millions are just one
Start-up financing was, step by step, he withdraws from the
Geschä out that the association will soon be self-sustaining. "I would
Insulting, "says Hopp," it was never about making money.
Incidentally, I didn't deserve any either, but wanted the people in
to give something back to this region, which is my home. «
Dietmar Hopp, the benefactor. The billionaire next door. A beautiful
History. But is it the whole story?
In the Football Leaks material there are documents that raise doubts
Let Hopp's self-staging be recorded. It's about a company
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named Transfair Rechtsverwertungsgesellscha mbH & Co. KG.

This company was founded with headquarters in Wiesloch in the north of Baden
Beginning of September 2012. The company that owned it personally
Management company of the Golf Club St. Leon-Rot mbH, which will soon be
then renamed DH-Holding Verwaltungs GmbH. Their sole
The owner was, as the initials in the name of the GmbH already suggest
let: Dietmar Hopp.
The company Transfair earns money by changing clubs from football pros.
The play on words in the company name gives the impression of sincerity,
of ethical and moral principles in an industry that trains many times
modern slave trade. But the Transfair business model
is no different from that of other investors - the company involved
adheres to the transfer rights of football pros and benefits from the fact that
this with the highest possible transfer fee to another club
be resold. It has little to do with Fairtrade.
At the beginning of July 2013 an article appeared in the »Süddeutsche Zeitung«,
after which the company Transfair also turned to players of TSG 1899 Ho enheim
participate and capitalize on an early sale. The

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Author described the possible con icts of interest between Hopp, the
Owner and sponsor of the club, and Hopp, the investor, and he provided the
right questions: Does Hopp want to get money out of the club? For
whom? For themselves? For partners? For TSG 1899 Ho enheim? And what
happens when a player in which Transfair has invested,
Ho enheim does not leave at all or the club does not leave the player before it expires
wants to give up his contract?
The problem for the »SZ« was probably the evidence. The newspaper decreed
evidently not about documents that provide unequivocal information about the
Business. The patron from Ho enheim did not comment at the time.
"Hopp's silence" was the logical heading. It's been back since then
Quiet about Hopp's investment vehicle Transfair.
The Football Leaks records now put Hopp's discreet deals down
open. It is clear from the documents that his
Company participates in the transfer rights of several Ho enheimer pros
has - and earns that player in the resale or rental
Has.
On January 25, 2013, Transfair closed with TSG 1899 Ho enheim
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Fußball-Spielbetriebs GmbH has two contracts for the »purchase of a

Transfer claim «. Accordingly, Hopp's company acquired 100 percent of each
»Economic transfer rights«, as it says in the documents, to the
Players Luis Jan Piers Advíncula Castrillón and Alexander Júnior Ponce
Pardo. Hopps paid for the transfer rights to the Peruvian Júnior Ponce
Company Transfair his club TSG 1899 Ho enheim 415 500 euros, for the
Transfer rights to the Peruvian Luis Advíncula 730,000 euros.
Ho enheim had Júnior Ponce on December 22, 2012 from
Peruvian first division club Alianza Lima. But for that
The pro has never played Bundesliga clubs. The people of Baden lent theirs
New purchase initially for half a year to the Brazilian club EC
Pelotas. In the summer of 2013 they then awarded it to his Peruvian
Homeland club Alianza Lima, in the summer of 2014 to the Portuguese
First division club Vitória Setúbal and in summer 2015 to the Peruvian
First division club Universidad San Martín de Porres in the capital Lima.
Júnior Ponce is still playing there.

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Luis Advíncula's transfer history is similarly moved. Ho enheim

had the defender on January 8, 2013 from the Ukrainian first division club SK
Tavrija Simferopol undertakes. The pro only stayed in for half a year
Badnerland, then he became Brazilian for half a season
Second division club AA Ponte Preta on loan. Half a year followed as
Loan player at the top Peruvian club Sporting Cristal, from there
he was awarded one year to the Portuguese association Vitória Setúbal, before 1899
Ho enheim the football mercenary in the summer of 2015 to the Turkish
First division club Bursaspor sell e.
One draws the career paths and stations of Júnior Ponces and Luis
Advínculas on a sheet of paper, you get a pictorial impression
from the freezing economy of the football market. Mediocre pros like
the two South Americans, out there by the thousands, will be of theirs
Advisors moved from one club to the next around the world.
How much money TSG 1899 Ho enheim received from all these transfer deals
taken and how much of it the association to Hopp's company Transfair
had to forward, is not apparent from the documents. In both
However, there are sample calculations for the contracts
"Transfer claims" from Hopps Beteiligungsgesellschaftscha. Would
Ho enheim would take 1.5 million euros for Luis Advíncula

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Transfair awarded 1.26 million euros. From 1.5 million euros, the Ho enheim
with Júnior Ponce would be 960 for Transfair according to the model calculation
000 euros due.
Yet these sums are ridiculous compared to those that run the company
Transfair agreed with TSG 1899 Ho enheim on December 22, 2014.
This time it was about midfielder Roberto Firmino Barbosa de
Oliveira, better known by its abbreviation Firmino. The business went like this:
Transfair paid Ho enheim 20 million euros in two installments, ten
Millions immediately and another ten million as soon as Firmino is sold
would. For this, the company secured 85 percent of the transfer rights of the
Brazilian national player. The remaining 15 percent of his shares
had bought Transfair earlier, they had kept two
Brazilian societies, one of which comes from the orbit of
Firminos player advisor Roger Wittmann. A request for an opinion

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the agent refused: “I have no intention of going into internal processes

or organizational structures at Rogon Sportmanagement GmbH & Co.
KG or on the content of the contract. I won't either
violate any confidentiality obligations entered into, or
Business secrets of Rogon Sportmanagement GmbH & Co. KG,
our partners or clients. "
The agreement before Christmas 2014 was a deal about to come
Closing time. On May 1, 2015, the World Football Association banned Fifa because of
numerous cases of abuse involving third parties in player transfers, the
so-called earth party ownership (TPO). This was announced
Ban already a year and a half earlier, with the following rule: For all existing TPO
Fifa guaranteed grandfathering agreements.
Also for the Firmino deal. It became the big lot for Transfair. At the
On July 1, 2015, Liverpool FC bought Firmino from their contract with
Germans out. You can find it in the Football Leaks records
"International Transfer Agreement" between the Premier League club
and TSG 1899 Ho enheim. The transfer fee for the goal-scoring
O ensivmann is therefore 40 million euros, never before was one
Players have been transferred abroad from the Bundesliga for more money.
But the association is only a transit station for payments. To
The Ho enheimers have to get a share of around eight million euros
forward the money from Liverpool to Hopp's company Transfair. Hops
Company? Coincidence or not: a few days after the »Süddeutsche Zeitung«
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put the spotlight on Transfair for the first time in the summer of 2013,
left Dietmar Hopps Beteiligungsgesellschaft DH-Holding Verwaltungs
GmbH as a personally holding partner. Readable in
Commercial register. The Heidelberg company Comaro took on their role
Management GmbH, which was founded specifically for this purpose.
The sole shareholder and managing director of Comaro is Mariano
Maroto López. As long as Dietmar Hopp was still the owner of Transfair,
Maroto already had power of attorney there - Hopp had the Spaniard with
DH-Holding next to itself for the second in autumn 2012
appointed managing director authorized to sign. Hopps DH Holding
resides on Heidelberger Strasse in Wiesloch. At the same address

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The company Transfair is also found, even after Hopps' o cial exit.
So Dietmar-Hopp-Land.
Just moved into this building in early December 2014, two weeks earlier
the Firmino deal with TSG 1899 Ho enheim, including the new one
Owner of Transfair, the Señor's Comaro Management GmbH
Maroto. Why did Hopp get out of Transfair and do his
Companion Maroto, who started at SAP as a young man in 1991 and
until 2012 as Global Vice President of the Customer Strategy division and
Sales Operations, now to the strong man there? Was there for
the patron of TSG Ho enheim con icts of interest which he conceals
had to? And there are other pros from the Hoenheimer squad with theirs
Change of clubs the company Transfair cashed in or will still do?
When asked, Dietmar Hopp said that he was »neither about internals
nor to express confidential contract contents or assumptions «.
His business partner Mariano Maroto López replied to one
detailed request for a statement: »You will certainly understand
if we have provided the information provided by you in the aforementioned letter
Assertions - whether these are mere speculation or proven to be untrue
are - do not comment. «The German Football League (DFL) announced that
that TSG 1899 Ho enheim »the statutes valid at the time
according to the information available to the DFL «.
The DFL allowed Dietmar Hopp two years ago, around 95 percent
of the voting shares and 99.99 percent of the capital shares of TSG 1899
Ho enheim Fußball-Spielbetriebs GmbH. The reasoning:
The patron had selfless capital in his for more than 20 years
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Pumped home club. For almost all other Bundesliga clubs, from Bayer
Aside from Leverkusen and VfL Wolfsburg, so far none
Donors may acquire the majority of the voting shares - they must with
Club itself lie.
This privilege is another reason why football fans
See red all over Germany when they hear the name Hopp. That hops
the avowed patron, in his club not only millions of euros
has put into it, but also in opaque transfer deals
was involved - his numerous adversaries knew nothing about it so far.

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THE MONEY SPRINTER

For Real Madrid fans, the Cibeles Fountain is a mythical place.

Here, in the heart of the Spanish capital, the club celebrates its biggest
Victories. An open double-decker bus chugs the crew in front of them
Holidays down the splendid boulevard Paseo de la Castellana,
Tens of thousands of cheering fans then cavort on the streets. The
The climax of the festivities is reached when the captain of the
Mannscha of the stone Cybele, the goddess of fertility, one
Tied a club scarf around her neck and kissed her head. It was like this
also at the end of May 2016, the day after winning the Champions League final
against Atlético Madrid: The Plaza de Cibeles experienced an orgy in white, the
Color of the royal.
These festive days for Real Madrid are traditionally also festive days for the
Supplier to the club: Adidas. Everywhere where on the triumphal procession through
Spain's capital was emblazoned with the Real Club crest
also clearly visible the company logo with the three stripes. That's the way it is
Sporting goods company from Germany under the keyword »Celebrations« in
get a kit deal with Real Madrid written - a document
that tells a lot about the excesses of the global football business. Because
Adidas wants at least one for its exclusive proximity to Real Madrid
Pay billion euros. One billion.
The gap between the world's top-selling football clubs and
their pursuers have been diverging for years. As important
Explanation is repeatedly cited that the Champions League for
Worry about inequality and cement the existing conditions. As a matter of fact
Uefa has given a few big clubs a high rate since summer 2010
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Champions League bonuses distributed: Real Madrid conceded 318

Million euros, Barça 299 million, FC Bayern Munich
290 million. The sporting and economic dominance of this trio is
overwhelming. Apart from Chelsea, who will be in the final in Munich
2012 surprisingly claimed against Bayern, has in the last
six years no other club has the supreme discipline of European

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Won football.
But in truth it is not primarily the Champions League
Revenue that the nancial and accounting imbalance between
solidify the elite and the rest of the football industry.
Mainly responsible for the money ut making the richest clubs richer
are the sporting goods giants Adidas and Nike. Both corporations
pursue the same marketing strategy: you rely on the best known
Names, the most famous players, the most successful clubs. And in
Competition for clubs and table footballers with the world's greatest radiance
play poker at each other and uten your advertising partners too
downright absurd sums.
What is striking is how little of these business connections to the outside world
penetrates. While Uefa made its multi-million dollar distributions from the
Club competitions are organized in detail, the sporting goods giants hold theirs
Sponsorship agreements with the top clubs and top stars strictly under
Clasp. No wonder: the confidential clauses and figures move
more and more often in irrational dimensions. Closer look
one almost inevitably asks oneself: Where does economic sanity end?
And where does the madness begin?
At best, from the club side, fragments have penetrated so far
Information about the extent of the sponsorship contracts to the
Public. When Manchester United signed the contract in the summer of 2014
Nike expired and signed a ten-year contract with Adidas
signed, the club made a number public: at least 750
Million pounds, then about 940 million euros, would be Manchester
United bring this degree, it said in a communiqué. Further
No details were revealed.
So far, the contract between Adidas and Real Madrid has been circulating
just rumors. But with the help of the Football Leaks data there is now a deeper one
Insight into the intimate connection between the Spanish record champions
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and the company from Germany possible, a liaison that has existed for almost 20 years
Years. Among these documents there is also a draft for
a new contract that will be valid from July 1, 2015 and have a term
until June 30, 2024. They are numbers from another world.

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Adidas would therefore give Real Madrid an annual fixed salary of 70

Transfer millions of euros. In addition, the sporting goods giant would become the club
with 22.5 percent of the net proceeds from the worldwide sale of Real Madrid
Products. There is also an annual guarantee for this: 30
Million Euros. All income from the sale of the licensed products that
going beyond that would be neatly settled - Adidas would
pledge to provide Real Madrid with a detailed report once a quarter
to submit via the global paragraph.
In addition, the Germans provide the club with clothing, jerseys,
Shoes and balls are available for up to eight million euros a year.
And if things went well with the royal team, one more would come
or other bonus. For example, you can win Real Madrid
Spanish championship, another 2.5 million euros would be due after
In 2020 this success bonus would increase to 3.5 million. For each
The Champions League title would cost Adidas five million euros
Pay on top, as of 2020 even seven million.
How aloof these numbers are, how far removed from the German
Football, make two comparisons. For one, Borussia received
Dortmund, after Bayern Munich the most attractive club in this country, from
his supplier Puma estimated eight million in the 2015/16 season
Euro. On the other hand, Real Madrid would have been alone in the same season
its Adidas income corresponds to the annual turnover of a club like Hertha BSC
Berlin (95 million) and the four other German first division clubs
trump. The lawyers seem to almost all eventualities
The 140- page draft contract between Adidas and Real is intended to be
have even the most outlandish twists and turns such as the club's relegation to the
Second league are discussed. Should it actually come to that, ele
the club is comparatively soft: Adidas would still be 65 million
Guarantee euros annually.
When Adidas with Real in the summer of 2015 an early
Negotiated a contract extension, the current contract still had one
Term of five years. This came into force in July 2011. The
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Year xum for Real, which Adidas and the club back then until
Agreed in the summer of 2020 was 42 million euros - instead of now

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targeted 70 million. And the minimum annual payout for reals

22.5 percent stake in global merchandising revenues was included
ten million euros - instead of the now planned 30 million. This shows,
like the income opportunities for the Spanish noble club between
2011 and 2015 exploded. Real Madrid could do Adidas
evidently move to it after not even half of the running time
Renegotiate valid agreement in order to convert the guaranteed benefits
to drive up almost a hundred percent.
There is one more curiosity in the 2011 treaty: one
One-time payment for Real Madrid, a so-called »Advanced Payment«. The
Sum: 40 million euros. There is also in the strictly confidential draft
a strange passage. Accordingly, Adidas had this 40 million euros »in
cash «to be paid. The Madrilenians wanted so much cash in cash? For this
The paper also shows that Adidas had already, in the summer of 1998, for the
Conclusion of a large equipment contract, a one-time payment "in cash"
had agreed with Real Madrid - also 40 million, but then dollars.
Could it actually be that the Spanish branch of Adidas that works with
Real Madrid came into business, came twice with big money?
$ 40 million is not exactly a serious amount
Push business partners "in cash" over the table.
Real Madrid responded piqued to a request for comment on the
Contract content. "Your request seems to be based on information
that have been obtained illegally, ”it said in one reply. A
Publication meant a "breach of law" against which the association opposed
I will defend myself with legal action. Adidas replied
a comprehensive catalog of questions: »Contractual content is subject to
in principle of confidentiality and consequently will not be used by us
commented. "
That's how it is regularly at Adidas: Questions about business methods such as
a 40 million cash payment roll off the company like water
on the tea pan. It is much more active
Communications department, when it comes to image p ege, the young,
dynamic corporate image. On campus in Franconia
Herzogenaurach employees from more than 80 nations work

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The business language is English, the average age is in the early 30s,
Down-to-earthness should merge there with cosmopolitanism, seriousness with
Nonchalance. And nowhere should the impression be created with
Adidas gets someone's hands dirty - just because the company
For decades an extremely profitable proximity to the powerful in sport
tended to be either tax evaders in the past few years
Ended up in prison like Uli Hoeneß; as the leader of a corrupt
World Federation were chased from the court like Fifa President Joseph Blatter;
or himself as pulling the cord in a football World Cup that has been presumed to have been bought
like the former light figure Franz Beckenbauer.
There were times when Adidas was virtually synonymous with opaque
and murky business was. The defining figure of this era was Horst
Dassler, the son of the company founder Adi. Until his untimely death im
April 1987 the Filius had a worldwide right of favorites and
Addicts in almost all sports that are commercial
exploited.
Horst Dassler's bribe machine and that of his successors was that
Rights agency ISL, which he established in Switzerland in the early 1980s
had founded. This company, which went bankrupt in mid-2001, put in the
almost two decades of its existence set new standards in corruption
of sports officials - between 1989 and 2001 alone, the agency should
According to Swiss court documents, around 140 million francs
Paid a bribe.
All history, they say today in Herzogenaurach, the group
Adidas is no longer with the family company from back then
to compare. But is everything actually going clean now?
The Adidas group has been highly endowed with numerous soccer stars
Advertising contracts concluded. The subsidiary works for the group
Adidas International Marketing BV in an unadorned
Industrial park in the south-east of Amsterdam. It is not a coincidence
that Adidas decided many years ago to start its global business
Moving the marketing department to the Netherlands - the infrastructure has
high level, corporate taxation low.
O does not transfer the money to the accounts of Adidas International

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Player. It owes to companies that the pros defend their personal rights
so-called image rights. These companies pour
usually their winnings to the players. This construction also has
one goal above all: to reduce the tax burden. Because this is how the Adidas
Payments are not due, but only the top rate of income tax
the much cheaper corporate tax.
There are dozens of contracts and in the Football Leaks documents
Contract drafts between Adidas International and top stars. So should he
Group for the former world footballer and Brazilian national player
Kaká, at the time in the service of Real Madrid and AC Milan, between
In 2010 and 2014 at least 1.5 million euros per year in an account of
Company Tamid Sport Marketing in Milan; 500,000 euros
every year, Adidas aims for Spain's national goalkeeper David de Gea, who is at
Manchester United plays to a company called Bedamarse Limited im
English town of Bowdon pay; and the 635,000 euros, the de Geas
Team skamerad Juan Mata in the 2016/17 season from Adidas
International should get, therefore, to the company Depormata 88
in Oviedo, Spain.
It becomes suspicious if in the Adidas contracts as the owner of the
Companies that are based in a tax haven are also allowed to advertise
to have. That was the case with Lionel Messi between 2007 and 2009.
At that time, Adidas International Marketing BV transferred it, it can be seen
Documents from the Barcelona Public Prosecutor's Office, just under four million
Euros to two companies called Sports Consultants and Jenbril to deal with the
to advertise Argentine superstar. Sports Consultants had
its headquarters in the small Central American state of Belize, Jenbril was in
Uruguay registered. In both countries, tax morale is not one of them
Basic virtues. Messi's father controlled the companies. In the summer of 2016
a Catalan court convicted father and son Messi
Tax evasion to 21 months probation and one
Fine in the millions. You were found guilty, including that
Having smuggled Adidas payments past the Spanish tax authorities. The
Messis have appealed against the verdict that they are “exemplary
Citizens, ”their lawyers let know after the verdict.

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And Adidas International, Messi's contractual partner, his

Shoveled millions of advertising in Belize and Uruguay? Knew
the management there, that father Messi the company Sports
Consultants and Jenbril controlled? Doesn't it also belong to that
Responsibility of the sporting goods manufacturer to reject contracts with companies,
hold the advertising rights to football pros in Europe, but in tax havens
reside beyond Europe? The public prosecutor in Barcelona went to
their investigations into father and son Messi assume that Adidas
about whose company construction was in the picture. Adidas commented at the time
when asked not to suspect this.
Another case appears in the Football Leaks' records, the
Adidas moves into the twilight. It's about Luis González, called Lucho, one
o ensive midfielder who was with the French top club until 2012
Olympique Marseille played. In July 2010, Adidas International took the
Argentine under contract for two years. González received an annual
Fixed income of 100,000 euros, Olympique Marseille was just a club for Adidas
Category C (at that time Manchester United belonged to Category A,
Juventus Turin, AC Milan, Real Madrid and FC Barcelona - would have
González played there, he would have paid 400,000 euros a year from Adidas
to get).
As a contractual partner, González signed personally. But the money
oss not on his account. Instead, Adidas International received four
Invoices for 50,000 euros each from a company called e General
International Company founded in Panama in 2008 and there
has its seat. Enrolled as President of General International
Argentinian, he's the González player's agent. Adidas International
paid the 200,000 euros for the player who was then in France
was subject to income tax, i.e. to a company in a tax haven
Panama. The Messi case was not for the three-stripes group
Exception.
At the end of 2008, the Adidas group tried to get all advertising contracts
with its clubs and football stars from the Dutch
Subsidiary Adidas International at the corporate headquarters in
To transfer Herzogenaurach. That goes out of a three page long

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Write out the two high-ranking Adidas managers to Real at the time
Madrid sent. They also announced »tax consequences«:
The German tax authorities would lose all of the payments made by Adidas AG
initially 15.83 percent withheld as withholding tax.
That caused trouble. The striker Gonzalo Higuaín denied the Adidas
Group in a letter his signature for the planned change to the contract,
which would have "harmful effects" on him - Higuaín said
thus reducing the net amount to which he deals with the
Dutch Adidas International had reached an agreement at the end of April 2007.
At the time, the Argentine star striker was at Real Madrid and had one
signed long-term advertising deal with Adidas marketing subsidiary,
which earned him an average of 575,000 euros a year as a regular player .
Adidas International did not transfer the money to the player, but to
a company called Supat BV in the Netherlands to which Higuaín his
had assigned worldwide marketing rights.
Resistance to the change in the terms of the contract also provided
Real Madrid. In April 2009, Adidas bowed to pressure from his
most important advertising partner. Everything stays the same with them
Sponsorship deals, wrote the head of Adidas International in
Amsterdam in an email to Real Madrid, “We'd love to work for that
We apologize for any inconvenience we may have caused «.
Nevertheless, Higuaín turned his back on Adidas. He closed in the spring of 2011
turned to Nike, which at best brought him 800,000 euros a year. Also
the US group leaves almost all advertising deals with clubs and players
run a subsidiary registered near Amsterdam
is: Nike European Operations Netherlands BV As before
Adidas, Nike also transferred the advertising fees for Higuaín to the
Supat company based in the Dutch city of Del.
Supat, as the owner of Higuaín's worldwide advertising rights, had one
Connection to another Dutch company that is dubious
Doing business with South American football bar stars in Europe: the
ITB International, which is not far from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
was reported. Outwardly, ITB International was one
Player agency, it also represented Argentine pros

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Negotiations with clubs or companies and collected fees for them. But

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In truth,of
Dozens thethe
employees of ITBdocuments,
Football Leaks International acted,
just which
as straw is evidence
men for one
Company in the Caribbean tax haven of the British Virgin Islands: Paros
Consulting Ltd. The deal went like this: Withheld from their agency fees
ITB International only introduced a share under ten percent, the rest
the Dutch continue to account for Paros Consulting in Europe. The Company
Paros, that too is undoubtedly evident from the Football Leaks material,
is controlled by Argentine players' agents - agents who
are well networked with Higuaín.
There are two strange ones in the Paros records
Payment requests related to Higuaín's Nike deal. It
goes for a total of 199,500 euros, which the Paros of ITB International on 4.
November 2013, payable to a Paros account in
discreet banking location Liechtenstein. Purpose of the transfers, it says
it on the bills: "semi-annual payments" for Higuaíns Nike
Contract. Why did ITB International head the o cially with Higuaíns
Nike contract had nothing to do, almost 200,000 euros for the same contract
to the Caribbean tax haven? The Supat company commented on this
Process not, ITB International also did not issue a statement.
Gonzalo Higuaín, too, through his club Juventus Turin
Asked about the background of the payments, did not comment. Nike replied,
the group »does not comment on any confidential contractual information«.

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THE DATA MOUNTAIN

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While I turn the corner in the taxi, John is still standing in front of the
Front door staring at his smartphone. He will tell me later that he
I went through it until noon and read the documents. I as well
I don't feel tired yet, my body feels like it would
it consists only of adrenaline. Incredible that John gave me the boxes
simply pressed the data into his hand! So much exclusive content! On
On the way to the airport, a thousand thoughts race through my head: What
will we find everything on the hard drives? How can we do one like that
evaluate huge amounts of data?
The thought carousel is replaced by a gastric roller coaster. Me
is bad, the beer, the vodka, oh man! There are informants with whom
if you go out to eat fancy, other sources prefer to talk in the office, John
so want to celebrate. Party hard. Well, reporters need to get on with that
Let in the protagonists' worlds in order to understand them, I tell myself.
I got to know John as a frontier worker, with many breaks in the
own personality. Much doesn't seem to matter to him, at the same time he works
obsessed with his project. Thoughts about his future, the danger that
he exposes himself, and also the price he will probably pay for it at some point
he seems to push aside with almost no effort. John is not only
smart, he is also intelligent, is quick to grasp and is
impressively eloquent. He can quickly win people over
flatter them, enforce his wishes.
I don't know much more about the structure of Football Leaks than
before my meeting with John. It seems unbelievable to me that John
leads this project alone, but the data stored on the Football Leaks
Website appear too diverse. How is one person supposed to do all of these
Have access? But who is John then? A middleman on the job
is about someone? Should I be fed data to someone
to harm? I will answer these questions with my colleagues in the editorial office
have to discuss.

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When I arrive at the airport, panic seizes me. Are the hard drives
encrypted at all? What happens if customs stop me and
want to know what I'm doing out of the country? I have in mine
Reporters have already received dozens of files and am with them
wandering around. But this case is more delicate: it starts
Investigation against Football Leaks. Would it be justiciable if one

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find the material with me? On the other hand, I'm a journalist, it's mine
Task to bring grievances to the surface, even if they are secret
should stay. My thoughts are racing, I'm sweating
from the forehead, even though it's incredibly cold.
Boarding starts in a few minutes, I don't have time to
to check the hard drives. What now? So I'll let it depend, too
When I feel like a drug courier The controllers at the airport
look grim, I have to get my laptop out and mine
Put cosmetics on the baggage carousel. It is the normal procedure for the
Nobody cares about hard drives in my luggage. A few minutes
after taking a seat on the plane, I fall asleep. Only as in
Hamburg the man next to me shakes my arm because he is finally
want to get off, I startle. I will soon be one for my bosses
can hand over an even greater mountain of data than we had raised.
Now the work really starts.

OVERWHELMED

Two small black hard drives lie in front of us. We sit in the office and
decide that we will hide them first and forever
then look in them when we have some time. We have in the
Files with up to 100,000 pages of paper have been processed in the past,
but so far no experience with such large amounts of data as that
Football leaks collected. Uncharted territory.
Now we're sitting in our offices until late at night, rummaging through them
Documents, print out contracts that seem exciting to us, googling
by name and payments and report to us the next day from
our finds. It's an exciting search, but it still is

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unsystematic. We lack a real structure. There are just too many, too
disordered documents. With our search method of reading folder by folder,
we always only grab a single thread. We hang on to them
along and then entangle us instead of tying them together. The data are
moreover complex in itself, the documents in different languages
drafted. Many names tell us nothing at all about them
To find out about the people mentioned, we need colleagues who are familiar with the
be familiar with the respective countries.

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Wemonths
a few think about where we
ago together canseveral
with get help from. DER SPIEGEL has
European
Media houses founded a research network that focuses on investigative
specializes in: the European Investigative Collaborations (EIC).
Jürgen Dahlkamp, Jörg Schmitt and der coordinate for SPIEGEL
Deputy Editor-in-Chief Alfred Weinzierl started working in the association.
When we tell them about our research, everything goes very quickly.
At the end of April 2016 we invite all research partners to Hamburg,
present the data, highlight the first key issues. Stefan Candea,
the coordinator of the EIC, together with the IT specialists of the
respective partner media how to make the data searchable
could. They develop their first ideas, then the »techis« like them
Computer experts are called to return to their own room
think about a method, like all journalists from the
different countries could get access to the material. In
We look at each other during a conference break and can hardly believe which one
The size of the project is about to take on: around 40 people sit in the room
from twelve countries. We are all a team now and will be in the
Hundreds of stories in the material for the next seven months
and write it down.
The reporters discuss security measures. Football Leaks
has powerful opponents, how do we secure the data and our research
Hacker attacks? What about legal protection? We decide
that every team of reporters in their publishing house for the utmost confidentiality
must ask and ideally in a separate, from the respective
Editorial office should work in a separate data room.

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The colleagues are leaving Hamburg, from now on we will be everyone

Have a conference call with them at nine a.m. on Friday morning,
will be with us in the coming months in Mechelen, Paris, Lisbon and
Come to Hamburg to discuss the further course of the project and
to plan. It will be an exciting, but also very exhausting time.
SPIEGEL provides us with our own space, sealed off
from the rest of the editorial team. Only nine people have access to the computers
are not connected to the company network, you need several passwords,
to start the systems. Given these safety precautions
we vacillate between amusement and a touch of paranoia. On
on the one hand: it's just football. On the other hand: It's about a
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Billion dollar business Any release can complicate a deal

annoy a club or functionary. Opponents can get on the scene
we don't want to make it easy for them.
This applies in particular to our partners from "e Black Sea", a
Consortium of several journalists from the Black Sea region. you will be
not only extremely in uential businessmen in their research
who have made a fortune with crooked deals for years
have, but also sell Ma and other crooks. The reporters
tell us how o you've been under pressure with other stories
some of them were even threatened with violence. The
Protection for journalists is completely inadequate in many countries.

OUR NEW HOME

The data room is sparse. Six workplaces with high-performance computers that
have enough strength to cope with the vast amount of data. In addition one each
Laptop, two printers, two filing cabinets, a flipchart and a large one
Blackboard. That's it. We'll be hundreds here in the coming months
Spending hours will work with us through mountains of documents
our lawyers meet and discuss with the EIC partners. The space
becomes our temporary home.
The whole IT runs on a separate server that is not connected to ours
Company networks is connected. We're getting a special so ware, Intella.

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It is a search form that tax investigators and investigators also use.

Intella enables us to send emails, contracts, documents, names, locations,
Bank statements and everything else in direct relationships with one another
to put.
We create lists with names of players, officials, clubs,
Player agents and let them run through the system. We still have
no real idea what's in the Football Leaks material
slumbers what stories we will come across, but somewhere
we have to start.
The printer is running at full speed. We print hundreds more interesting
Contracts, sort them by subject, by lists, looking for one
Order that helps us to master the mass of documents. The
At the same time, IT is building an internal platform through which we can all use our

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Exchange results with the other EIC partners. It is a

Isolated, encrypted area on the Internet, we put ours there
Finds, ideas, thoughts and texts for discussion.
Every find is provided with a kind of Wikipedia entry, we can
Link receipts, contracts, emails and other documents directly there and so on
ensure that more and more pieces of the mosaic are added to these themes
become. Ronaldo, Doyen, the player agents - that's how the big ones come about , but
also hundreds of smaller stories. Each EIC partner searches alongside the
great stories also look for content that is specific to his subject area and
o times could also be interesting for its respective country of publication.
Within the SPIEGEL editorial team, we pull ourselves as football leaks
Team back more and more. We hardly ever attend conferences in
our main departments, take little or no part in
Editorial life. Working on the data almost overwhelms us, we sit down
o from eight in the morning until well after midnight in the data room and
try to combine the individual references to form an overall picture.
It's a puzzle with 18.6 million pieces, that's how many documents we nd in
John's dates.
That an editorial office and a publisher support such work that
they are fully behind such large-scale research is at a time when
Even media companies have financial problems, which is not a matter of course.

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Our colleagues from the other departments are curious, some want
know what we're up to all day and why not even those
Cleaning staff has access to our data room. Every question brings us in
a dilemma: on the one hand, we don't want to appear self-important,
but what can happen quickly because our security measures are on
Outsiders may seem excessive. On the other hand
but in fact we mustn't reveal too much about our research,
because working on the data is extremely sensitive and confidential. In a
During such research phase it is especially important to refer to its source
protect, especially if they are being investigated and feared
Has private detectives. Because of this, too, we can't do anything about our work
say.
Not to mention our ongoing worry that we are going to be slow
work and possibly another medium the data sooner
evaluates. Because in truth we do not know whether John, as agreed,
has left the data exclusively. Maybe he has it on ours too
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Passed on to competitors? Although he assures that only we have the material

own, but a residual doubt remains. Maybe such thoughts are just those
Effects of self-chosen isolation, a feeling that is
reinforced the longer we are with our colleagues, friends and families
can talk about this project.
In the research team we agree to continue as little as
possible to talk to others about our current work. Everyone has that
Worry about making a mistake, telling too much, something careless
to divulge. Around 60 journalists are now involved in the research, all of them
Invest a lot of time and effort to end up with a great scoop, one
to present important revelation. Nobody wants to endanger that.
Most colleagues understand that, and we are grateful for that. In the mirror
secret, investigative research is constantly taking place, they are part of ours
Magazine DNA. We also have experience with large amounts of data,
Our colleagues were already evaluating tax CDs around 20 years ago
and described, among other things, the »Liechtenstein Connection«. Also the
Message that gives us a glimpse behind the facade of the
political diplomatic talks made it possible for WikiLeaks and the NSA

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A aera was data monstrous and highly confidential research. In

our company is working on such complex issues, but one
huge treasure trove of data like the one we got from Football Leaks,
18.6 million documents, including those that are so tricky, confused,
partly contradicting content - this is new for us.
Our IT has to come to our aid on a regular basis and has to constantly provide new ones
Show handles and tools so that we can look through the material in a meaningful way
can. It is a phase in which, in addition to screaming joy about new discoveries
there are also numerous curses through our data room. While we're in
dig the material, John keeps answering. He seems increasingly
agitated, battered, thin-skinned. We write emails, explain
him, which stories we are sitting on, in which direction ours
Go research. He says there is a lot more material now. He has
also data on Atlético Madrid, the top Spanish club that plays in these
Days Bayern Munich in the first half of the Champions League
has conquered. John writes that the whole club is externally controlled, the
glorious ascent of Atlético "bought very dearly". He said it was all black
know we could pick up the stuff.
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DISCOVERED FAVORITES

Saúl Ñíguez Esclápez, better known by his short name Saúl, is

one of the most talented midfielders in the world, football fans know that
at the latest since the end of April 2016. In the first half of the Champions League
League faced Atlético Madrid and Bayern Munich
opposite, and Saúl, then 21, decided the game with an action
that everyone who has seen them will remember for years to come.
The young Spaniard put the young Spaniard at one deep in the half of Munich
Dribbling on, the Bayern players left iago, Juan Bernat, Xabi Alonso and
David Alaba ran into nowhere and overcame goalkeeper Manuel Neuer
a shot from the penalty area. The shot was more of a flick, a
more untenable, however, because the ball with the inner instep of the left foot
and kicked with a lot of E et, in which Lu precisely described the curve that Saúl
wanted to give him. He hit the goal from the left inner post. Then broke
Ecstasy from the Vicente Calderón stadium - the few seconds between
The acceptance of the ball and the goal were moments of longing for the Atlético fans.
Since then, Saúl has been arguably the greatest alongside striker Antoine Griezmann

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Idol of the "Colchoneros", as the fans of the club call themselves, because their red
white striped jerseys are similar in color to the mattresses (Spanish: colchón),
which used to be common in the country.
Saúl has a contract with Atlético Madrid until the end of June 2021. The
Player is heavily courted by clubs like FC Barcelona, including from
of the Premier League should be available. Saúl already has public
Oaths of loyalty made. As long as Diego Simeone was a coach at Atlético, so
he won't change for a long time. The truth is: Atlético will be
Sell super talent before the contract expires. Not because the player is there
want. But there was a deal there.
When Saúl was 16 years old, Atlético Madrid joined 40 percent of his
Transfer rights to an Irish investor group. Cashed in return
the club 1.5 million euros. This contract is a lesson in how
The football business is ice cold and cynical. Like even the top clubs

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Champions League will sell their identity and credibility to themselves

let gagged by pro-oriented donors. With his signature
Miguel Ángel Gil Marín, managing director of Atlético, sold the
Future of a then underage talent. If the player stayed with his
Parent club, would the investors get their stake back,
yields ten percent interest. But of course they want more. For the
Financiers, Saúl is nothing more than a stock that gets hot and hot.
In terms of sport, Atlético Madrid has been one of the last seven years
most successful clubs in Europe, the club won in 2010 and 2012
the Europa League, 2014 had a real cream year: Atlético got the
Spanish championship and also reached the final of the champions
League. In economic terms, however, it looks gloomy. Still in summer
In 2015, the club squeezed liabilities totaling 520 million
The tax debt was around 45 million euros. Much of it
are contaminated sites. Former president Jesús Gil y Gil ran the club 16
For years like a sun king. Once he came on a leash
Crocodile into the stadium, another time when Atlético surprisingly won the title in 1996
had won in the Primera División, rode the scandalous man
Building contractor on elephant back by the Spanish
Capitals. Gil loved it decadently, before Marbella he had discarded one
Aircraft carrier anchored. As the shrill patron who has been his for 18 months
Spent life behind bars, died in 2004, his coffin was on the
Playing field laid out. Gil left his club in a financial disaster.
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When his father was still ruling Atlético like a despot, Gil's son came across
Miguel Ángel joined the club. That was at the beginning of the 1990s.
Today is Gil Jr. the main shareholder and holds 55 percent with his family
of the shares. The association's reputation has grown considerably since taking office
improved, Atlético successfully relies on its classic underdog image.
The club is led by the Argentinian trainer predator Simeone
downright magnetic to all those who live next door to Real
is show obsessed. Atlético stands for struggle, doggedness, hardship, too
against himself. The revival of the club is comparable to that
from Borussia Dortmund under Jürgen Klopp.
One of the main reasons for the boom in recent years is the

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Transfer policy listed. Atlético is considered a club that is skillful with

Personnel damage recently made whopping profits. This is how the association sells
the Argentine striker Sergio Agüero 2011 for 36 million euros
Manchester City defeated Colombian striker Radamel Falcao in 2013 for
43 million euros to AS Monaco and his compatriot Jackson
Martínez 2016 for 42 million euros to the Chinese club
Guangzhou Evergrande. So everything is good at Atlético?
Football Leaks disenchants the romantic story of the working-class club
who fearlessly takes on the establishment and who does too
is not put off by the fact that the best players leave him every year.
The truth is: Atlético depends on the drip from investors. Since 2010 the
Association - as with young star Saúl - external financiers to the transfer rights
involved by more than a dozen players. The investors have with
made sure that the fans' favorites had to be sold, she
it was the ones who benefited most from the transfers. That was in this one
Extent has been secret so far, and Atlético managing director Gil was the greatest
It was an effort to keep it that way. In his view, there is for it
understandable reasons: Had the fans learned that the main shareholder
of the traditional club, the players virtually pledged to the ongoing operations
to finance, massive resistance might have formed. The
doesn't like a football official.
So Gil continued in a small circle, imitating a back room business
the other, each contract strictly confidential, unpublished and
annoying debates. On December 29, 2011, Atlético pledged against one
One-off payment of ten million euros, one third of the transfer rights
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his Colombian super striker Radamel Falcao. The enterprise,

Atlético's source of money came from Malta: the one in this book
already described company Doyen Sports Investments Limited. In the
Introduction of the contract it becomes clear who determined the rules of the game. There
it says: »Atlético Madrid needs financial help for his
ordinary business operations and is therefore open to several credit institutions
received. With the current financial crisis and market situation, it is for the
Club extremely difficult to nd a bank financing, which is why the club
turned to Doyen as a last resort. "

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But Atlético signed the vast majority of its participation agreements

Madrid with Irish company Quality Football. Behind this
The company are two of the most influential international pullers
Football business: Peter Kenyon and Jorge Mendes. Mendes again
the experienced consultant who made Ronaldo a global brand. Kenyon against it
was in the executive suite at Manchester United from 1997 to 2003, in the
For the last three years he was in charge of the English record champions.
After the Russian oligarch Roman Abramowitsch joined the
Chelsea FC Kenyon moved to London in 2004 as CEO. There
remained the smart businessman for five years before joining CAA
Sports, one of the world's largest sports marketers. Since 2014
he also works as a consultant to Atlético Madrid.
In a June 2011 brochure, Mendes and Kenyon adorned themselves
for investors, the minimum deposit was 250,000 euros. The international
Transfermarkt appears in this document as a humming one and
by nothing to be shaken growth industry in which the use
increased all by itself - the promised ten percent return per year
Brochure as a minimum payout. Where else has it been since the financial crisis
such profit prospects?
The money raised was initially transferred to the British Channel Island
Jersey, a tax haven in the middle of the rough English Channel. That's where it ended up in
different funds from Mendes' agency Gestifute and von
Kenyon's employer at the time, CAA Sports. But the
ird party ownership deals with clubs turned a company out of one
other low-tax country: Quality Football. Mendes and Kenyon
advised this Dublin-based company, they decided which one
Sums for which player should be invested. The millions ought to

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then from Jersey via Dublin to the clubs.

The nested company of Mendes and Kenyon us
numerous questions: Who were the financiers? How much money did he move
Fund? At which clubs? For which players? Through the material of
Football Leaks brings you closer to the answers. Fund lawyers
kept lists that they regularly maintained and in which they identified the individual
Performed holdings. It shows that the fund in August

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Invested just over 84 million euros in 36 pros in 2011. In June

In 2015, shortly after the TPO ban, there were 88 million euros in 40
Players. In August 2016, the investors made investments in
Amount of around 45 million euros to 27 players.
There were more than two dozen investors from around the world. One was
an actor made famous through Harry Potter films.
Others, whether companies or individuals, came from the
Football industry - and therefore have to answer the question
Put up with conflicts of interest. One of the financiers was, for example
Wife of a former Premier League coach. As of December 2011
one of the investors was also a company that was very close to an association
of the US Major Soccer League. With Mendes in the boat
TPO Deals was also a billionaire who later got shares in an English
Premier League Club buy e.
The investment is particularly questionable about Mendes' TPO deals
by Yildirim Ali Koç. The business man comes from one of the
wealthiest families in Turkey, he was both supervisory board member and
Vice President of Fenerbahçe Istanbul. In the portfolio of one of the football
Fund in Jersey, in which Koç had invested money, was also found in 2011
Pro of Be ş ikta ş Istanbul, a bitter rival of Fenerbahçe. It
are tangles like this, the anger in football romantics
let it boil up. Koç did not comment when asked.
Quality Football dealt with players from the Portuguese top division
Sporting Lisbon, FC Porto, SC Braga and Rio Ave FC.
The most and most lucrative deals were made by Jorge Mendes' funds
with players from Atlético Madrid. On its obviously very narrow
Ties to the powerful agent from Portugal addressed, stressed
Atlético managing director Gil re exha again and again his supposed
Distance. So he claimed in November 2015 to the Londoner
Financial Times newspaper: “I only have one TPO deal with Jorge
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Mendes made. "

Gil must think Atlético Madrid fans are idiots. The truth
is: Atlético Madrid has participated in the Mendes Fund since 2010
Transfer rights of at least 20 of its players. This ossen

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a total of around 58 million euros in the coffers at that time

notoriously clammy clubs. But the price for the cash injections was high.
Atlético had sacrificed sovereignty over its transfer policy - and the fans
deprived of the opportunity to hang out with their favorites permanently
identify. No sooner was a new star born than he was back to the
Sale.
One of the first Atlético pros in which investors participated,
was Sergio Aguero. Secured for a disposable syringe of 2.5 million euros
a Mendes fund at the end of January 2011 was exactly twelve percent of the
Transfer rights to the Argentine striker. What followed was foreseeable:
Six months later, Agüero was given to Manchester for 36 million euros
City passed on. The profit for the financiers included
Side agreements and bonuses: 2.66 million euros.
Coach Diego Simeone, who joined Atlético in 2011, has been with since his
Obligation formed from numerous of his player stars, but instead of this
To secure long-term potential for one's own team, hawked
Club owner Gil them. He bequeathed Quality Football for two million euros
up to 50 percent in Diego Costa, for six million 50 percent in Arda
Turan, for five million 50 percent in Eduardo Salvio. Atlético Madrid
Managing Director Miguel Ángel Gil Marín did not comment on the
numerous TPO deals. Jorge Mendes and Peter Kenyon also left
Written inquiries about the business of their funds went unanswered.
It will also happen with Saúl, the current idol of the »Colchoneros«
like with Costa, Turan or Salvio. In the documents of the Mendes Fund it says
the minimum amount for which the young star is being sold: 45 million euros.
Power for the investors after deducting their start-up financing of 1.5
Million euros at least 16.5 million profit - an increase in value
of 1000 percent. Apart from cocaine trafficking, there are none
many business areas in which comparable returns can be achieved.
How Saúl's sale should go can be seen in the participation agreement
between Atlético and the Jorge Mendes Fund of March 16, 2011
read up. The club must have its Irish business partners at the latest five
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Days after receipt of an offer in detail which

Transfer fee in the room is from which club, in which tranches

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should be paid and what the player says about the offer. Are those
Financiers to, but the change does not take place, applies a
Knebelpassus: Atlético then receives the 40 percent share in Saúls
Transfer rights back, but the investors must have lost those
Refund income for changing clubs. This is what it looks like - the modern one
Form of human trafficking in pro football.

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RESPONSIBLE

John and I are now writing each other in six different chats.
All encrypted, all on different platforms, some of which we use
agreed abbreviations and codes. John takes great care to
to maintain his anonymity. His email addresses consist of numbers,
Letters and characters, all wildly mixed up. Our mail exchanges are
never stringent due to the different providers, sometimes changes
John opened the platform in the middle of the conversation. He then leaves me a short one
Sign that we agreed on beforehand. Then I delete the
Chat and switch too. In some programs this is annihilated
Conversation by itself.
For me it's a new world, for John it's everyday life. His top one
The rule is: do not leave any traces. As a SPIEGEL reporter, I am
trained to protect my sources as best as possible, never to reveal them, too
if the police or a judge should question me about them. Only under
investigative journalism is possible under such conditions, ours
Informants need to feel secure in telling us their secrets
to entrust. But a virtual cat-and-mouse game like John
and I run it, I've never experienced it before. Especially since I asked myself the question
place: Who exactly are we hiding from? »Police, prosecutors, doyen,
but above all: the ma a «, writes John. He could also answer: before
each. And after all that we saw last in his material,
I can't even contradict him.
John writes to me oh, sometimes two dozen times a day. He finds
a lot in the data, even faster in the search than ours
Team. O he is a useful clue to help us make decisions
Relationships such as corporate relationships or nesting behind funds
and take a closer look at accounts. His knowledge of economic and financial matters
The context is enormous. Even Nicola Naber, the economist and
Documentation journalist in our team, a proven expert
For all European tax fraud, o is impressed with what John is up to

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Page 137

read out the data.

Where did he learn that? Or does he only carry the information from third parties
forward to us? We're still skeptical about football leaks
actually is and who is really behind it. Or is John just a
young man with ingenious features who just played football
Shows weaknesses? Who finds the gaps in this system and they all over the world
open? We discuss in our team almost every day
without getting any closer to the answer.
The e-mails from John during this time also show that
Image of a driven person who is slowly taking control of himself and his life
seems to be losing. When he has the feeling that we are one of his tracks
not paying enough attention, he keeps asking, asking a lot
demanding, why we wouldn't find it as exciting as he did. It is a
uncomfortable pressure that we defend ourselves against. I explain to him that we
could only work at the pace that is necessary for the team, for our network
is the right one. That we would have to proceed strategically, otherwise we would find ourselves in
lost the material. And that he gave us his data,
but he is not our client. We have to work independently
allowed to. And do it too.
John reacts to the way rebels react: he provides the things that
it is exciting and which we do not follow straight away, just follow the
Football Leaks Homepage. That complicates our work immensely.
We have to constantly worry that we are content that someone is sharing
from the team who worked for days or weeks, lose because it's John
is not moving quickly enough and he is getting the relevant documents
spontaneously revealed on your own.
My colleagues keep asking me if we don't "catch" John
could. I already have it with rational explanations, with requests and
Tries to plead, but John can be very stubborn when he gets into something
Head has set. He's also on his side for all the publications
a pretty simple explanation: “The team decided that we should do this now
have to cut out. I've been outvoted. ”How should I oppose it
argue if I've never met anyone on this team
got to know?

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I've met John a lot since our first two party days, but
irregularly in different cities again. We're talking
about football, about the project, about women, about everything. Our
Relationship becomes more intimate, even when John gets to the details and
Background of Football Leaks remains silent. Again and again
I explain to him the difficulties of investigative research, which
Hurdles we would have to take, how difficult it is to examine the material,
how complex, above all, the money ows for many of the top footballers
and that we also seek external advice from tax auditors,
Lawyers, business experts would have to get in touch with the structures
decipher and understand. He takes note of my statements
nods, and then does what he wants anyway.
O John puts the documents on his side late at night, so I don't have any
Have a chance to stop him at the last moment. When I am in the morning
wake up, the social media services are already full of some
Football leaks reports, the other media grabs the news
shortly afterwards. After such nightly leaks, there are documents on which
we have worked, lost for us, they no longer have any exclusivity.
Inhale, exhale, carry on. We try to be halfway with it
to be relaxed. What else can we do?
Still, more and more often I catch myself in the middle of the
Wake up at night, pick up my phone, give me the football
Check out the leaks page and check my twitter account. Once
me my wife in the kitchen at four in the morning. It's just vague
Knowing about what I'm working on, I just told her it was about a
very large data package and anything to do with soccer. Usually
she has a lot of understanding for my work, but this research is now possible
for months, I'm not at home very much, sometimes very irritated,
not so easy.
Now she sees me with a bright red head on our worktop in the
Sitting in the kitchen and typing my phone angrily because John has one
has uploaded another contract and I already suspect that our
French EIC partner of »Mediapart« in a few hours
Will get angry outburst.

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My wife asks softly but clearly: "Is it worth it?"

I think about it and then say: "I do hope so."
She looks at me for a long time, we are silent. Her look says, “It's just
Soccer, 22 players, a stupid ball, cool down again and come
back to bed. ”But her voice says she is worried and I am
please take care of me.

LOCKED

It's early May when John offers me the next big data package. We
arrange to meet in a European city, a metropolis. It's warm,
summer rather than spring, and the whole town smells like grilled meat. At
Barbecues are set up in almost every corner, offered by local dealers
Sausages and steaks. I'm staying for four days this time. In John's last
News he looked torn, as if he were even more afraid of his
Opponents as if he were really going crazy. I want to take my time to
to talk to him about everything.
We'll meet in a café. John is almost two hours late
what I already know about him and what no longer bothers me.
But when he joins me at the table, I am shocked: he sees
not looking good, not at all. This time it's not just sleepiness, it
are not just the traces of a night of partying. Rather, one has
Sadness dug into his face that wasn't there at the beginning of the year
was. His skin is grayish, the dark circles are even deeper, he wears one
Three-day beard that sprouts in all directions. Have John's shoes
dirty caps, the fabric of his pants is so thin on one side that he
could tear at any moment. For John there seems to be more important things at the moment
give than his appearance.
"My friend, how are you doing?" He greets me. He is trying,
to look smart, but his voice sounds much darker than I know it,
The euphoria and the energy of our first meeting are gone today
to listen. John looks like someone who is very worried.
"What's the matter with you?" I ask.
"Everything sucks," he bursts out. He just looks at the table

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his shoulders are hunched forward. Where is this bundle of energy

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from
HeFebruary
orders a only? What
coke and happenedNo
a brownie. to flirting
him? with the waitress,
no stupid joke, no laughter. Just one order.
"I'm really fed up," says John.
“From football? Of love? From the project? From what? ”I ask.
"Of all. Really everything. It all no longer makes sense. We are at
Limit. They are constantly attacking our website, trying to paralyze us.
I can no longer sleep because I always believe someone will
Storms into my room and kills me. We are now more
busy fending off hacker attacks on our systems than with
everything else. It's just not fun anymore, ”says John.
"Who is yelling at you?" I ask.
"Too many, and there are pros. All of those about whom we have something."
have published, special companies have meanwhile turned on the
to find out who are paralyzing our systems. We have
Difficulty blocking it all. ”The brownie is brought in. John
stops abruptly.
Does it all come as a surprise to him? He lies down with the
one of the most influential, powerful people in the world's most important sport
and expect: what? That they let him fight the field? That
Do not let multimillionaires dance around like that,
that they want to continue doing their business without having online
Pirates drive in between: That should be clear to everyone.
John pokes around in his brownie, but it only lands in his mouth
little of it. It has become thinner, I now notice. And almost everyone
his finger is gnawed to the flesh.
"Better tell me about your research," says John.
I'll take a break, talk about our data room, about our team, the
Exchange with international colleagues. We now have one
get an initial overview of the material, roughly, still pretty much
unsorted. But we can already identify some issues
a feeling for the direction in which possible publications are going
could. I tell John that the EIC team will be in a few weeks too

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will meet in Paris. Small groups are to be founded there

who take care of individual issues and delve deeper into the
Should start detailed research.
We talk about companies, about accounts, about money ows. John acts like a
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walking football leaks dictionary. At the speed with which he

Organizational charts in which Lu draws, others cannot use trivial ones
talking about topics like last vacation. In these moments he works
again clearly more liberated, more relaxed. The contents of the project leave him again
au just. And for the moment he also shines with our results
to be halfway satisfied. It is progressing, that pleases him. Even if he
continues to nag we should work faster.
"Now tell me what's bothering you," I try again.
“Oh, I'm in a good mood right now. Let's talk about something else
talk, we still have a few days to discuss the rest of it «,
says John.
"What do you want to do?"
“I have to pick something up, not far from here. Are you coming with me?"
"Clear."
We pay, take an S-Bahn and land an hour before one
Desert made of prefabricated buildings. Huge monsters, gray and alike. John oriented
briefly, kneel down, look to the left, to the right. "The
there it is, ”he says. We enter one of the blocks, the hallway smells musty.
John takes a few quick steps and gets into the elevator. He presses
a button, but nothing happens. There's a sign in the elevator that says we
neither can read because we don't speak the language. So
Let's try around a bit, I push the two doors from the inside
to, John at the same time on the button: Now we're going. Yes, and that
we should have known, you are not allowed to open the doors while driving
let go. Otherwise the elevator will become wedged. We're stuck.
There is no bell, the elevator is a maximum of 1.5 by 1.5 meters wide, a
Shoe box that seems to be getting smaller by the minute. I have
no claustrophobia, but the thought that we are here on a tightrope
hang, possibly the last time during the Soviet Union
has been waited for, and we neither ring the doorbell nor do anything else

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can make noticeable, I am a bit au. John sits up

the floor, bends his knees, puts his face in his hands. In the
Posture he looks tiny.
"What do we do now?" I ask.
"No idea. This shit fits my whole life here, ”says
John.

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I knock carefully on the doors. Silence. I push the doors tighter

together. Nothing.
“Maybe that's a sign. Maybe I'll end up in one of those
Landing cell, ”says John. Then, after a pause, he continues: “The system
Football eats itself up. By criminals, by crooked, greedy ones
Types. I can prove it, but in the end I'm the bad guy. This world is
but stupid. We should all face it. Go to the police say that
we didn't want to do anything wrong, just clean up the whole disgusting industry.
Because that's important! And then a court should decide about us. Then
at least we'd be safe from the guys. They can't help us in jail
or? But guess what, football is so powerful, we read too
constantly in our data, such as investors and officials, police officers
in uences. How they work with you. Everyone is nowadays
Football fan. Anyone can with a few stadium tickets and
signed jerseys that he can show off to his friends,
make happy. How are we supposed to have a fair trial in this world
to get?"
He's talking completely crazy. I only get a fraction of it.
Besides, I find it hard to concentrate because we're here on one
hanging shitty rope, several meters in the air.
"Dude, please, stop crying for a moment and help me," I say.
Actually, it's not a way of talking to informants. But I get
Breathlessness in this elevator, and the solution to this problem has
for once priority over football leaks.
"Get up and press the close button," I say, as calmly as I can,
still pushing the two doors together and opening one
Lurking noise that I believe is the contact switch.
John gets up in slow motion. He pushes the button, I open the doors

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again, differently, again, the elevator jerks, then John pushes open
the floor button. We drive.
He smiles. “If journalism is nothing, you can
Become an elevator fitter. And when I get out of jail I will
your trainee, ”says John. I'm kidding, so he can still joke. We
laugh hysterically.
Even if I don't know it at this moment: The scene in the
Later on, the elevator will help a lot to keep our project in peace

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can continue.

THE COLLECTOR

We get out and I try to resist the impulse, the

Kissing floor. "Let's take the stairs down," I say. John nods.
We go through a wooden door about five meters high. It's stuck, and so are we
must work together to balance them out. What does John want here
just?
Two young women, no more than their mid-20s, are sitting in the room we enter.
It's as hot as a sauna, and that's not just because one of the
Women practically just sit in front of their desk in a slightly wider bra.
The sun shoots so hard on the large, high panes that the room
becomes an ember. Where the hell did we end up here?
John says something in a completely foreign language to me and he hands it
Scantily clad a note. She gets up, pulls around and goes in
the back room. John sits down in her chair and stares at that
Monitor. Only when the other woman says something to him does he smile and sit down
a little further away. The guy is really curious and responds to
Computer like a predator on its prey.
The lightly clad brings a huge box. She sweats that thing
must be hard, John tries to help her. One after the other he pulls out:
four bottles of port, a total of eleven books, a large map. I will
touch the wine, but it slaps my fingers. “You have grease there
off the doors, that won't work. "
My mother said something like that to me last time. I watch myself

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the wine from further away. He is almost 30 years old and comes from Portugal.
I'm not very knowledgeable about crying. Can you do something like that
drink at all? One of the books reads: “Dresden, 1779.
Hidden Realm «.
John pays, takes small felt towels out of his backpack and wraps them
Things in it. For the way down we take the stairs.
"What kind of stuff is that?" I ask.
"I'm an antiques collector," says John in a tone of voice as if he were
announce that the sun will rise again tomorrow.
"That's a joke," I say.
“No, I've been doing this for many years. I make money doing it. The
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I have now bought things cheaply, but their value is significantly higher. I
can already sell it for four times as much. "
"We're talking about the port?"
"About the port."
"Where do you sell that stuff?" I ask.
"On the Internet."
Where else? We're going back to town. In the luggage: antiques
and more question marks.

TIRED REBELS

We will also meet on the following days, go together

walking, foosball, playing billiards and partying. John's nights will always be
wilder, longer, richer in alcohol. He is afraid of himself, everyone can see that
Hobby psychologist. The nightlife and the booze are a distraction
offer a way out, at least for a few hours. We're trying to get over
to talk about his problems, but change whenever he could open up
he the subject. I don't understand why, ask, but he lets me
constantly flashing off.
That only changes on the last evening of my visit. We are in
a pub just off the main street. Outside, lovers smooch while
Roaring tourists on beer bikes ride through an intersection. We sit
inside, on the screens, the Champions League seminar will be played

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shown. A feast day for football fans, but John looks like he's on one
Funeral. I'll get us beer.
Viewed from a distance, John still looks cramped. He looks at himself
all the time around, frantically wiping his forehead and eyes. I
watch him from the eke. The bartender gives me two beers, half a beer
Liter. I put John's glass on our table. He takes it in both hands
smells it, picks it up, looks from below, pokes with his finger
in the foam.
"Is there something wrong with the beer?" I ask.
John says, “Someone might pour some gi into me
Has. That would be the easiest way to get rid of me. "
I'm waiting for a laugh, but John doesn't laugh. He means it seriously. He
try a little sip.

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"You drank normally yesterday," I say.

John takes out his cell phone. He says he got new ones a few hours ago
Data has been sent. From a law firm that does one
Champions League club supervised. John shows the on his cell phone
Screenshot of a chat. The lawyers are discussing whether this will
Fifa's party ownership ban can somehow be circumvented. He wipes over
the screen, another folder opens. It is a mail traffic
between a Kazak and a Russian, it's about John and football
Leaks. The Russian should "take care of it," writes the Kazakh. you
name places they want to look. John's opponents are getting closer.
I can look at the speed at which John is on his cell phone
scrolls, neither memorizing the names nor reading the mails more closely. But
John looks at me with wide eyes. »They're serious
Man. They're after us, ”he says a little too loudly. His hand is shaking.
The cool, smart John has said goodbye. Someone is sitting here right now
Realize that you are not out of a thirst for adventure with such a
Should create people. That what he does has consequences
draws itself. Serious consequences.
John says, “We're not going to party tonight. We're going to me, me
have to discuss something with you in private. "
He takes a sip of beer and starts sending me more documents

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to show his phone. Something about an investor, the big one

Buzz parks in Panama and Belize, two popular tax havens. A
whole series of documents about a wealthy African who his
Wants to pump money into football. John says that's a warlord that be
Made fortune in blood diamonds.
A goal has been scored somewhere, but John takes the shouting out
Football fans not at all. For him only his counts now
Dates and the many dirty business of football. Suddenly beat up
two men meet in the entrance area of the pub, a table falls over, a woman
cries. John doesn't even look up, he just keeps staring at his cell phone and
reads and reads. Shortly before the end of the second half, he suddenly jumps
on. I'm bringing two new beers right now, but John wants to go.
He ru a taxi. Before he gets in, he checks whether the person is on
Tax is also the person who is on the ID on the dashboard
is identified as a driver. John makes a note of the name. He directs it
Taxi driver past a park, several cafes, it goes back and forth,
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I have the feeling that we have been to the same restaurant several times
come round. Are we going in circles? I don't dare to ask because
John, sweating and short of breath, gives instructions to the driver. In a
He stops the car on the side street.
John walks through a long back yard, and almost though it is
It is midnight, at that moment Adele's hit "Hello" is booming out of you
Window. We stop for a moment, I have to laugh, John doesn't. It could
that will be the soundtrack to his current life.
John stops in front of an entrance door, which he marked with an eleven-digit
Number code must open. There is no light in the hallway, there is on the walls
Mold, many of the windows are broken. John walk a few flights of stairs
high, then he stops in front of a second front door, which is only just opening
after holding a chip card in front of a small sensor. At the
When I walk in, I almost stumble over a full ashtray on which
Socks are on the floor, panties hang on a door.
John enters one of the back rooms and opens his laptop, still
while he takes off his jacket. There are two on the desk
encrusted cereal bowls that microbiologists would have a lot of fun with.

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John's computer boots up painfully slowly, while John impatiently with it

tap his fingers on the desk. Five minutes go by, ten
fifteen, and the screen only shows the loading sign.
John starts drumming his fists on the device, closing it
shake. Junkies who don't get any new stuff freak out in a similar way.
John explains that's the biggest problem. So now he has to
Talk to me in private: “Our damn computers can do them
can no longer cope with the current amount of data. In the past two
Months, the volume of our documents has almost doubled.
We have well over a terabyte now, and it's growing every day. ”It is
the biggest leak in the history of sport.
Finally the laptop reports: ready for use. John immediately closes four
Hard drives. Another cable plugs into a device called the John
switches between his router and his laptop. “Nobody can do that
track where and how we log in, ”he says. On his
Links, paths and documents appear on the screen. He clicks a folder
with the designation "Ma a". The computer smears on this.
Football Leaks, John's baby, is now too big to handle
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to still be able to work quickly. Leave with the Football Leaks homepage
upload only one or two documents a day, he says. If
at all. The systems do not do more. "It doesn't make sense like that"
says John. He needs more powerful computers, bigger hard drives,
more memory, a so ware with which the data can be better handled
could browse. And also a new, clearer homepage.
Actually everything is missing. John shakes his head.
He says he heard the big associations, Uefa or the
Fifa, would report to him: “You were on our material
Interested. Why didn't they ever write to us? ”He even has a few
Reporters given in mail interviews that he should introduce himself
able to work with the associations. “We would have helped them
can. If they were really interested in clarification, they would only have to contact
have to report to us, ”says John. He takes a deep breath and takes one
big gulp of the schnapps he is pouring into a tea glass
has poured.

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"What do you want to do now?" I ask.

“We really thought about facing the police. Hand over everything
all dates, end. "
"And why don't you guys do that?" I ask.
“Because then everything would be over. We, but also the project, ”says John.
We discuss the possible consequences. In which country
would he even face? And what did he want to confess? "Nothing.
Except that the dates are here. Nobody can accuse me of more. Maybe
we emigrate too. Let's go somewhere in Asia or for a while
South America down, ”says John. That sounds neither thought-out nor
reasonable.
I suggest that he just keep his side for a while
could close. As a first step, so to speak. That would have doubled
Advantage that John's opponents might believe the matter after a while
would have taken care of itself, and the pursuit might cease
would. And such a break would give the EIC the opportunity to move on
to work on the evaluation of the material. “At the same time you could do one
Take a break, take a deep breath and think about what you do
really want to do in the future, ”I say.
John gets up and walks out of the room. He says he's coming soon

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again, after about 45 minutes he's back. “That's how we do it. We

give the project a break for now. «We are silent.
“I think I'll write an article about that. I have to
Readers explain why you are taking this step, ”I say.
“Then please also write that we no longer want that in the future
only individual contracts or consultant fees are visible, but that
we want to have stories told about the respective cases. We
want all the complex structures for the simple fan too
Get screaming, ”says John. He is building the golden bridge over which
we'll end up running with our EIC revelations.
We agree that my story will say that
Football Leaks Page will remain frozen for at least the next six months.
No new documents, no new scandals, no publications
more in the middle of the night. Instead, silence.

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“You kept your nerve in the elevator today, you will also handle the pressure
from the soccer industry. I'm sure of it, ”says John.
He laughs again and looks a little more liberated.
We sit for a while in the little room, tired
silent. John copies some data, pulls out a few contracts and emails
to a new hard drive. “You'll be fine with the material
right, ”he mumbles.
“What are you going to do in the coming weeks? Do you have any
Plans? ”I ask. John pauses for a moment, takes his hands off the keyboard,
scratches his cheek and slowly turns in his office chair
me around.
“I think I'll be spending more time with my girlfriend again
and also do more sports. I've been a bit over the past few weeks
increased, the stress was to blame. That has to go now, ”says John and
pats the little bulge under his T-shirt.
“Are you going to watch football or have you had enough for now
like that? ”I ask.
“Tired of football? Are you crazy? I love this sport, I can do that
nobody take. Nobody! And since I'll have more time now, I will
I look at everything: every game of the European Championship and of course
also the Champions League final. I hope Real Madrid win.
Cristiano Ronaldo aims to show everyone that he is the best footballer in the world
Is history! "
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THE GOLDEN SHOT

At the end of May the time has come: the Champions League final is coming up. It is
the most important festival day in the football calendar worldwide, from finals to
apart from the European Championship or World Championship. How
The final is important, as shown by a few figures: it will be in over 200 countries
Match between Real and Atlético Madrid broadcast to be in the lead
380 million people worldwide watch the spectacle. There is no
comparable sporting event, not even the American Super Bowl
achieves such values.
This time the final will take place at Milan's San Siro Stadium,
Black market tickets are traded for over 3000 euros. Who on legal
Wanted to get away for a ticket two months earlier
have to participate in a lottery procedure of the Uefa. Those who - without
to know whether your favorite team would be in the final in the end -
emerged as the winner of the raffle, had to for the tickets depending on
Category pay between 70 and 440 euros.
But the Champions League final isn't just a soccer game, it is
an event, a huge show, including an opening ceremony, a ride
the singer Alicia Keys and her colleague, the cuddly bard Andrea
Bocelli, and hundreds of VIPs from politics, business and showbiz who live in
eat roast beef in the boxes of the stadium, drink champagne and theirs
Maintain networks. What does that have to do with football? Well: with this one
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Spiel will have a turnover of 350 million euros in Milan. That is the
Currency that everyone understands. And since the business behind the scenes is like that
works splendidly, the players on the lawn also want something from it
have off.
Real and Atlético Madrid, two big names from one city, eternal
Rivals face each other again two years after the Lisbon final
opposite, the height of fall of the lot could not be greater. On that place
but little of it can be seen. You can tell the players that they
are tired after a long season that they lack the liveliness. Never

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there were as many games in a season as there are today.

The game is tough, a battle of wear and tear. After 90 minutes
the score is 1: 1, after 120 minutes the same - it goes to penalties. Of
Such moments live the show industry football. The cameras pan
the players in the faces, showing their exhaustion, some of the kickers
let yourself fall on the lawn and the tiredness from the masseurs
shake the muscles.
Cristiano Ronaldo, the superstar, the man who embodies Real Madrid,
stands on the outside line, vacant gaze, mouth slightly open. The whole
In the evening you didn't see much of him, the vicious Atlético pressing of the
Simeone-Schüler took him out of the game completely.
Nevertheless, he can be set up as the last shooter on penalties.
As the one who matters. And of course, how could it be otherwise?
in this sport that lives from images and emotions like no other,
If Atlético misses his penultimate penalty - now it's up to him
CR7, the born leader.
Ronaldo once said that he loved these situations: the
greatest possible pressure. He goes from the center line to the opposing line
Penalty area, tight step, straight back, the cameras hold wide open
him. Whether Ronaldo is in his head at this moment, how
many millions of those penalty kicks will move right away? How many people he
with this one, this golden shot, showered with money
could? With as much money as there are many other people in their whole
Will not earn life?
The football leaks data show how closely athletic and economic
Successes are interwoven. How much a penalty goal can make. How yourself
has decoupled the world of the stars from that of their fans.

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The real greats Sergio Ramos, who entered the 2015/16 season
Gareth Bale received base salary of 19.3 million euros, base salary
10.9 million euros, and Karim Benzema, also 10.9 million euros,
get in the case of a Champions League win like everyone else
A premium of 600,000 euros per Real at Real , so the Spanish rumor has it
Press. With 25 players in the squad, that makes a sum of 15 million euros.
Ronaldo, the man for those special moments, is also a man

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for the special contracts. He already gets at this point

At almost 33 million euros, this is by far the highest salary for the
He lets Real Champions League title him - as the only one of his
Mannscha - an additional princely reward: 3.68 million euros.
The premium is referred to in his contract as a "variable payment".
But Ronaldo is not yet the greatest pro.
Because while the Portuguese is at the penalty spot, big cheeks
and exhales deeply, his trainer watches him tense. Zinedine
Zidane, the former world class footballer, 1998 world champion and four
Years later, a Champions League winner with Real, was a player
Century gur. As a trainer, on the other hand, he is a beginner with just under three
Years of professional experience. In his first year of apprenticeship he has Carlo by his side
Ancelottis assists, in the second and third he took over for the first time
modest responsibility in the bank: with the Real Madrid reserve team.
But when his predecessor Rafael Benítez was fired, it was sudden
Zidane's dream job free. The new employment contract, the Zidane on January 5th
Signed in 2016, gives the impression that Real doesn't have just one
former star player, but also hired a starting coach. Thereon
at least the numbers suggest that both sides are in the
have agreed a seven-page contract. These too
Agreement can be found in the Football Leaks inventory.
Even the term of the contract is for a newcomer to the coach
unusually long: two and a half years until the end of June 2018. Still
the amount of the salary is more unusual. Already as Ancelotti's assistant
and as coach of the reserve team, the Frenchman had an exceptional one
high salary negotiated for himself: 600,000 euros per year. Well agreed
Zidane paid Real Madrid for the first half to the end of June 2016
of three million euros gross. For the two following seasons leaves
Zidane secure 5,781,818 euros each. Then there are the same
Bonuses that players also collect for wins and draws.
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But that's not all. There are two clauses in the document,
from which it can be seen how important the management of Real’s club is
Madrid is winning the Champions League. The royals de ren
for decades in particular about their performance in the

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Premier class. The world brand Real can only shine worldwide if the
Club regularly wins the most important club trophy.
Zidane used that for himself like no other. On the one hand, he lets himself be
for every title win in the Champions League a special payment of
Fix 1.5 million euros. On the other hand, he sets the following condition
by: Should his team win the final in Milan, his
Annual remuneration for the two subsequent seasons until the end of June 2018
double. 5 781 818 euros per season would become 11 563 636 euros.
So while Ronaldo is at the penalty spot, Zidane is at stake
no less than around 13 million euros. The striker is on
Penalty point, legs apart, shake your shoulders once more, short
Steps, shot, the ball lies in the goal. Freezing.
State of emergency. Even at Zidane. With such little effort that
I guess you can say that no other coach has yet, let alone
because a novice, the radiance of the Champions League in such a way by itself
to be able to convert into money. When the French signed his contract
there were still six games until the final.
But the punch line of this crazy evening is set by someone else: Rafael
Benítez, Zidane's predecessor on the Real coaching bench. When the Spaniard on 4.
January 2016 signed his employment contract with Real in a three-page letter
and a settlement of 10.15 million euros, payable within one
Week, au est, he negotiated with foresight. In the small print of the
Agreement can be found under point three an addition to Champions
League: Should the club win the title in May, another 600 would
000 euros due for Benítez.
He too can thank Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese has
with a single shot of rewards worth over 30 million euros
emotional.

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THE REFUGE

I've met John a lot in the past few weeks. Time for one
Day, sometimes for two, rarely longer. He travels around a lot again, sleeping and eating
more, but still dancing and partying like there's no tomorrow. John is a
Bon vivant, and now after turning the football leaks page into one
If he has moved to sleep mode, he will enjoy it again more. It's the end of June, and
his fear that private detectives, contract killers or others will nasty him
Taking shape to body has sunk.
He talks to me a lot about the contents of the Football Leaks documents,
about football in general, about women and of course about his
Antiques trading. He always has an eye on new auctions and
thinks about which offers he should buy. In between, and me
I still have no idea how or where things are coming from,
he pushes hard drives into my hand. Sometimes they're black
sometimes white. Sometimes there is more data on it, sometimes less. Times
add to our previous documents, sometimes it is completely new.
While my colleagues dive deep into the data set and get one
Digging out one find after another, I have to dig for the next one
Say goodbye to weeks from the data room. In addition to the meetings with John
I'll be in France to report on the European Championship.
Long before the data project, I agreed to hold the tournament as a
Accompany reporters. I report on the German national team
For over ten years, now I can't just slip away like that, just
because Football Leaks is more appealing to me right now.
But this balancing act is uncomfortable: On the one hand, I write
Stories about the appearance of Mario Götze, omas Müller, Julian
Draxler, on the other hand, I call mine almost every day
Colleagues and hear what exciting stories emerge from the
Crystallize data packet. My curiosity, my lust, now also in
digging through the material is almost immeasurable.
But the most important thing about this phase is: to resist the desire to

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publish current stories from the data set. An example: Jérôme

Before the start of the European Football Championship, Alexander Gauland, a
Politicians of the »Alternative for Germany«, denigrated. The wandering one
Bad neighbor comparison, which Gauland draws in an interview, would be
actually not worth mentioning, nevertheless all of Germany is talking about it.
The issue becomes a great excitement.
We checked in our database a few weeks ago
Boateng wanted, the Intella system also has an exciting goal
spat out. It's not breaking news, but it's scary
Anecdote that makes it clear that not only the AfD, but also the
Football has a racism problem.
The main actor in the story is a major German sponsor. Round
half a year before the soccer World Cup in Brazil will be one of his
Marketing agency several German national players for a campaign
offered. It's about promoting a product in Southeast Asia, in
Countries like China, Ailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, South Korea, the
Philippines. The sponsor's representative is interested in that
Marketing agency suggests six players. Five of them are
white, one dark-skinned. “Please take Jérôme Boateng off the list, he
The rest reads well, «replies the marketing man for the sponsors rma. The
only black guy is out.
We discuss whether and how to research the story further
and could process. Ultimately, we decide: We can currently
make nothing of it. On the one hand, we would reveal to the public
that we as the EIC are working on the football leaks data, on the other hand
we would provide a huge gateway to each of our partners, as well
with other players, officials, content from the data set
deal because they are interesting for their respective countries. The whole
EIC would become a sack of fleas, we would have no control
more about the data and ultimately no more about that
Project. So, for the time being, we will do without Boateng. Then later too
to Henrich Mchitarjan, Paul Pogba, Mario Balotelli and again and again:
Cristiano Ronaldo.
It becomes our daily mantra: We publish together in

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December, just rest. We are taking the risk that by then

possibly one or the other exciting story from someone
others will be told. We hope our big scoop will have this one
Is worth doing without.
But with all the turmoil: sometimes it is spatial
Distance to research also makes sense. One can in peace
think. I'm sitting in the stadium in Paris, Northern Ireland meets Germany,
last game of the group stage. It's a deadly boring game. The
poor Northern Irish are trying what all outsider teams do
Try this tournament: They huddle up in front of their goal and hope that
them in attack God, Allah, Fortuna or a crooked foot from Mats
Help Hummels. Otherwise they wouldn't score a goal in life.
This scary kick is actually not a football game, just as much as many
other games in this bloated, oversold tournament from which
only a few special moments will stand out.
After the 30th minute the game is over: Mario Gómez
makes the first and only goal of the game and everyone knows this
Moment that Germany not only has this match, but also with it
will win the group stage. Around the middle of the second half
my thoughts wander completely. I look around the stadium, see
how the fans cheer, wave their scarves, spin in the Northern Irish block
she completely through. Again and again the summer hit song »Will
Grigg's on re «, surprisingly they roar too
German fans with the song. While down there on the lawn 22
Players struggle, run, sweat, transform this farce of fans
Football match in an open air festival. Loud, colorful, beautiful.
They are people who have traveled hundreds, thousands of kilometers to
to buy totally overpriced tickets, jerseys, sausages, beer and hats and
then singing together during a useless soccer game. I ask
me: What will our revelations about an unleashed, greedy, o
corrupt and almost always hypocritical football business with these fans
hire? Will they be disappointed in their heroes? Angry? Become
they turn away because they no longer finance such a system
want? Do you even care about credibility?

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Page 157

For years, godparents led world football. João Havelange, Sepp Blatter,
Horst Dassler and all the brothers in spirit who developed from it:
Chuck Blazer. Jack Warner. Franz Beckenbauer. Plus the tons
Player advisors, investors and adventurers of various stripes.
Anyone who doesn't close their eyes completely has an inkling of
how mendacious, corrupt and exploitative this industry is. Like them on
Costs of fans and entire countries in their own pocket economically. The
System football has not just been sick today. But now you can see
how sick it really is.
After the big doping and corruption arenas in cycling and
Swimming, weightlifting, wrestling and athletics are
these sports are now almost out of the public eye
disappeared. The broadcasters get out of the live coverage, themselves
interest is noticeably waning at the Olympic Games. The
People turn away because sport has lost its innocence. And
hence its credibility. The fans have the feeling of athletes like
Lance Armstrong and Jan Ullrich, by Marion Jones and Carl Lewis
to have been personally betrayed. Plus the Russian doping, the
Fuentes blood pans, the many syringes in rubbish bins. The pleasure that
Cheering athletes is a no-brainer.
And in football? Despite all the Fifa corruption scandals, despite the many
missing Millions, in spite of the Betting fraud and
Game manipulation arenas that are constantly boiling up and many games
seem suspicious, people flock in week after week
Flocks to the stadium, to the local pub, to the public viewing, to theirs
Cheering heroes. To cheer them on and also to cheer themselves on together
drink, sing, celebrate. To be at work next Monday
tell how great the weekend was. And they don't just do it in
England, France, Germany, but many, many countries of this
World.
Do these people want us to deal with reality at all
bother? Football is possibly the last connecting element in
our society still brings together different groups. The
neither church nor politics can achieve. But encounter in football

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all professions, cultures, genders, desires and

Hopes. You can be politically correct and at the same time
Call opponents an "asshole". You can freak out, go yourself
leave, and no one takes it against you. Do football fans want this
To be taken to a place of refuge? Do you even want to understand this
unleashed business exploits its longing for pathos and emotions?
That they are being systematically duped?

FOOTBALL ROMANCE

Half nale. The EM is coming to an end, Germany tri in

Marseille on France, Portugal play against Wales a day earlier. My
Cell phone flashes continuously. John is completely beside himself. He likes an online
Be a rebel, but above all he is a football fan and, despite all the criticism
on his homeland, a patriot. He keeps sending me messages:
YouTube clips with Portuguese battle chants, photo montages, on
crowned by the players of the Portuguese national team, the
all the enthusiasm and creativity of the fans, which is discharged on the Internet.
»If Germany and Portugal make it to the final, we'll meet in
France, ”writes John.
"Is this a good idea? Maybe the police are looking for you, ”I write
back. After all, there is a preliminary investigation and a
Legal assistance requests against Football Leaks.
"I do not care! You only experience something like this once in a lifetime. Portugal will
European champions, I told you that weeks ago! «Writes John.
Indeed. His European Championship final tip was Portugal against France. I had
Typed on Poland and Germany. After Portugal left Poland
Tournament had thrown, I already had some ridicule from John
listen.
“The tickets are very expensive. I have to think about something, ”he writes.
John watched almost every game at this tournament on television
watched, three games a day. The evening game, he writes to me, he has
mostly watched with friends in town. Shortly before the
Afternoon game, around 3 p.m., he then went to the shower and has it

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watched the first batch of muesli in bed. “It's great right now. Here it is

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warm, theagain,
beautiful sun is”he
shining, I just relax. I'm fine, that's life
writes.
But now he needs an adventure and wants to come to France.
At such a major tournament, the highest security precautions apply,
this applies in particular to entry. I'm worried that John will be wrong
could be, not only because of serious consequences for himself
that would mean, but also because that would be a big one for our project
Would be a hazard that could complicate everything.
"The hotel and flight prices are also insanely high," I write.
"That's true. Let's see. But that would be great! There is one in Paris
great portuguese community, i would love to share this with you
Celebrate historic victory, ”writes John.
Portugal actually won the semi-finals and is in the final.
John writes to me that night that he couldn't celebrate that much,
how he would have to express all his happiness. He's a hopeless one
Football romantic who does the dirty side of the football business
knows and hates, yet loves the game itself unrestrainedly.
In the evening I sit in the stadium in Marseille and see that France is too
is strong, Germany loses the semi-finals and is out of the tournament.
Adieu.
“My friend, cheer up, you are world champions after all. But now
you have to keep your fingers crossed for Portugal, you owe me that «, writes
John. It's nice to see him so carefree again.
The next morning I take a flight to Paris for the final. Air
France, an airline that I consistently avoid after this tournament
I'm going to, after all the delays and failures, another one
put on it: my pouch is lost. I won't get him for weeks
see you again. I also ate the wrong thing or got a virus
caught my stomach going crazy That's another reason I'm relieved
when John writes that he won't come to Paris after all. Let the trip be
too expensive for him. After all, good news on this day.
We chat a lot before the finale, he explains - or at least thinks
to do it - the tactics of the Portuguese and the exact weak points of the

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French people. When it comes to topics of conversation like this, I get complicated
Encryption and the highest level of secrecy, with which we continue
write something absurd. Before I can open the mail program,
do I need an authenticator, a kind of password generator that is random
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Codes supplies, switch on. I have to have two different "doors"

before I can finally write a message. Alone
Registration takes several minutes. I now have three
different apps that either generate passwords or they in turn
save for me, because I have this whole jumble of numbers and signs
and can no longer remember letters. And all the trouble for
Insights as profound as these: “Renato Sanches has to fill in the gaps
between Pogba and Matuidi use, Pogba is always very high.
Behind it are large rooms, you Germans have not seen that «,
writes John. I reply: »Pepe is too slow for Griezmann. in the
Center could get hot for you. ”If an intelligence agency or a
Police actually read our chats, I wish you a lot of fun with the
Evaluation of such dialogues!

PORTUGAL, KING OF EUROPE

Cristiano Ronaldo goes crazy. Complete. The superstar takes off his shirt
and hop on one leg across the lawn because the knee on which he was in the final
injured, must not be burdened. Ronaldo only has one small one
Part of this final played on the field, but he has at the
Sideline with his teammates suffered in an ardor like them only
Have people who share a dream: to become European champions.
Ronaldo conducted, roared, fought with his teammates,
while they brought down the host France. Now this is raging
World class player with joy, wipes away tears in between, presses
and shakes anyone who gets in his way. Ronaldo is there: the
first international title with his home country. Ronaldo is Europe
König, he will win all the prizes this year, that is already clear.
What I also realize at this moment: Ronaldo's secret,
the multimillion euro money slide that fell on the British Virgin for him

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Islands works and about which I meanwhile so much on our internal

Platform, the splendor of this hero becomes clear
weaken. Ronaldo may be a top footballer, one
He is not a top taxpayer. And its height of fall increases with every victory
greater.
I check my cell phone.

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“This is one of the most beautiful days of my life! Campeões! !! «

John ipps out.
He'll be texting me all night. He also writes
that he is crying and he can no longer remember when he did it
last did. How can someone who loves football so much have so much courage
have to mess with this industry so much? Maybe really
exactly for that reason? He is a mystery to me.
At 4:32 am: "I'm freaking out! We'll be celebrating 24 hours! "
At 4:41 am: “When I'm sober again, you have to see me
come. I have to show you something. "
In the morning I talk to my bosses on the phone. Meanwhile I also have
Fever, that bloody stomach. And there are no more fresh socks either,
damn Air France.
The tournament leaves its mark, also on us reporters. I feel myself
written blank after all these weeks and really just want to sleep.
Michael Wulzinger says I should take a long breath for a day in bed
stay, go for a walk in Paris. Clear my head.
But then I should see that I could visit John.
Naturally.
I book a flight for the next day. The return remains open.

TURNED BROWN AND IN A GOOD MOUTH

Eastern Europe again. Another metropolis. It's incredibly hot, clearly

over 30 degrees. On the way to my apartment I drive into a huge one
River over. Many people sit on the bank, grill, play Frisbee,
some splash around on removable tires. My stomach cramps can
even this idyll does not calm down. I go to bed first.

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As soon as I fell asleep, there was a knock on my door. It's the first and
will also be the only time that John is on time. Of all things
today. John hops through the door, we hug in greeting. He is
tanned, apparently not only partied, but also did a lot of sport
driven, his shoulders are broader, his arms look more trained.
And his eyes are laughing again, showing new energy.
At breakfast, John tells me chocolate cake and lemonade
Lemon tea without sugar, which he has been up to for the past few weeks.

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And
John'swith whom.
stories are Iwild,
feel exciting
like I'm listening to the
and wacky. ForGreat Gatsby
the first time like this
he also calls the names of friends, he says I have to see them
to get to know.
"Do you have anything to do with the project?" I ask.
"Oh, stop it," he says and laughs.
There's no point trying to find out what this football leaks
Construct is actually accurate.
“But I have new dates. Pretty exciting. I have to give it to you
otherwise you may not understand some connections. This time it works
about the Premier League and the Mino Raiola players. For example
Zlatan Ibrahimović's contract: simply unbelievable. You can do that
see the English throwing their money around, ”says John.
My stomach is feeling better right away.
"But we have to do something first," says John.
"Nothing antiquarian please," I say.
"But! Come on, we have to go! "
"Woe, there's an elevator there."
We take a taxi and drive for almost two hours until we get to some sort of thing
Allotment garden settlement come. Small houses, flat roofs, tiny ones
Gardens surrounded by high fences. Lots of children screaming. John run one
down the small street, he examines the doorbell signs and letters.
Suddenly he stops and waves me over like a windmill. We
ring. A little girl, no older than four, comes to the
green fence from which the paint pops off like a plate.
“Is your papa home?” Asks John.

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The girl looks disturbed. John tries again, not this time
in English. The girl shakes her head. John hooks one more time
to. Now the girl nods and runs into the house. John is looking at me
triumphantly, as if he had just cracked the Da Vinci Code. Minutes
later an old, fat, very wrinkled woman with a head comes out of the house.
Her words sound like she's scolding us. I twitch a little
together, John just nods. We're still behind the fence. The
Grandma goes back into the house. Now John is also a little irritated.
"Are we right here at all?" I ask.
"We'll see in a moment," he says, not looking from the door
turning away.
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The little one comes out again, she pulls a bag behind her. Suddenly
John starts waving his hands, shouting, a little
to hop around. Grandma says something to the little one, she stops. "Oh
Man, she'll break it, ”John groans. He slowly opens them
Gate, we go through a narrow passage that is so narrow that we can see it
can only enter one after the other. The girl with the bag is waiting. John
stops in front of her, opens his rucksack, takes out two white gloves
and puts them on with great seriousness. He starts to close the bag
inspect.
"Stop it for me," he says.
I hold.
To be taken out: an old flag, two dozen books, one
Amulet, one more, but this time to fold it out, a small bottle,
unde ned. John wraps each item individually in his felt towels and
stows them in the backpack. Grandma looks as if she's just got a visit from
Aliens. I look similar. John pays, we're leaving.
"Who buys that kind of stuff?" I ask.
"You have no idea," says John.
“Those who sold this have no idea either. I have here
achieved a tenfold increase in value in just five minutes. The things
are really in demand. Oligarchs, Arabs, but above all the Chinese are complete
crazy about intact historical treasures. It's a huge one
Market."

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Now. After all, he has an occupation from which he can live well.
We're going back. This time he leads me to a kind of warehouse. It is
not a huge room, but big enough for hundreds of books,
Records, albums, candlesticks, amulets, swords. I think there
There's even armor in the corner, but I'm not sure. It
looks like a medieval flea market.
There is a computer on one of the walls and a bed to the left, next to it
the door a cupboard. The rest: antiques, everywhere. In the warehouse that
consists of several rooms, there are also other rooms, even a kitchen.
It's like a labyrinth. John crawls on all fours under the
Table. He fiddles with a counter, comes up and has two
Hard drives in hand.
“You've got a lot of stuff here for the Premier League, they're really crazy.

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Just look at the contract, the Mino Raiola for Ibrahimović

got out, unbelievable! And you find a lot of new things on the record
Material about the Dutch-Argentinian player agent clique, the
pushing their coal past the wheel. That will help you, your system
better to understand, ”says John. A few weeks later he'll get back to me again
give another batch of Premier League documents. Underneath
will also be the contract of the world record transfer Paul Pogba. Likewise
a raiola man.
I'm going back to the apartment. Now I'm a mediocre
talented expert in encrypting hard drives. Our IT boss Stephan
He has shown me over the past few months how to get data on
Hard drives almost invisible. It's not rocket science, but ever
depending on how large the amount of data is, it's quite time consuming. Man
must build so-called containers, these with a separate program
encrypt, with additional hiding places in the container
can tinker. This is where the sensitive data comes in. In the
I put photos, old texts, so very ordinary ones, into the main container
Documents. Should I go to customs or the police at the airport?
control and force to decrypt the disks in front of them (in
some countries are allowed to do this, and those who resist can easily end up in
Examination ha), then I can use the unproblematic container

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and the sensitive data will remain hidden. Slowly

i like technology.

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THE BIG MONEY

When Manchester United announced on July 1, 2016 that the club had announced the
Striker Zlatan Ibrahimović signed this one
Message no more news. Ibrahimović himself had his move
made public the day before. “It's time for them
Welt finds out: My next goal is Manchester United, "said the striker
with his own sense of mission via Twitter on June 30th
proclaimed.
That he actually only signed his contract with the English record champions
When he was writing a day later, Ibrahimović didn’t seem too keen
interested - the Swedish striker is reluctant to be told
when he has something to say, least of all about anyone
Tie wearers from the PR department of his new club.
Ibrahimović was one of the hottest personalities in the summer of 2016
the international transfer market. He was 34 years old, but he was
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obviously hadn't lost any of its class: in his last

The striker's season for Paris Saint-Germain was 50 in 51 mandatory games
Goals scored and, like twice before, he was unchallenged
Became top scorer of the French League 1.
But the most important thing was: Ibrahimović did not cost a transfer fee. He
had let his contract in Paris expire, what his
Significantly improved negotiating position. Because who does not cost a transfer,
can demand a higher bonus and base salary. Both
There are hardly any rules for contract negotiations in football, but this one seems
like being set in stone. Every club, every player, every consultant holds
look at it.
Mino had a month before Ibrahimović's transfer to Manchester
Raiola, his agent since the beginning of his career, in the Italian
Sports newspaper "Gazzetta dello Sport" dropped the remark, except for Pep
Guardiola's club Manchester City already have all major clubs
Europe reported to him. That is the banter that a negotiating pro

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as Raiola masters perfectly: jingling loudly until it rains big thalers. And
if he can then give one to an intimate enemy: so much the better!
Because Guardiola, you have to know, is in Ibrahimović's eyes
a small mind, since the coach called the striker in his time at FC
Barcelona put it cold and passed it on to AC Milan. Ibrahimović
rather finds: “If you buy me, buy a Ferrari. And who a Ferrari
has, super fuel. Guardiola filled up with diesel and took a tour of the countryside.
He should have bought a Fiat. ”It has confidence
Ibrahimović, who also likes to refer to himself as "God", has never done so
lacked.
So now the Swedish super striker was with Manchester United and
José Mourinho landed. Ibrahimović already knows him as a coach from
his former club Inter Milan and raves about it
Cooperation in the highest tones: »He is the exact opposite of
Guardiola. Mourinho was a guy I was ready to die for. "
The question arises: what is this devotion Mourinho and Manchester
United worth? Ever since Ibrahimović arrived on the island, they have been tearing
Rumors about his salary did not start. There are wild sums in circulation. Time is from
235,000 euros a week, which is about twelve million euros a year
corresponds, sometimes to the fact that Ibrahimović even made his new one

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Teammates Wayne Rooney outdo, so far the

best-earning pro in England is said to have been.
The guesswork of who gets how much has taken off in the premier
League, this sophisticated and stylish entertainment company,
has long since become independent. The salary ranking of the most prominent kickers is
meanwhile a constant topic of conversation. The television billions on the one hand,
global investors, on the other hand, keep clubs with you
advertise higher offers for the best players. This is how it turns
The spiral of salaries continues.
To the financial excesses in the Premier League, the excesses and
Documenting absurdities of a league in a rush of money should be here
Details from the contract of Zlatan Ibrahimović will be published. It is
the Premier League Contract, Manchester United and the striker
agreed on July 1, 2016. For this document, which is up to June 30th

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2017 is valid, it is clear that Ibrahimović in one year a gross

Earned a basic wage of 22.62 million euros. In the
common unit in which the British calculate, that makes 435,000 euros per
Week.
Many others can be found in the Football Leaks records
Contracts from world stars who are now earning their living in England
among others the comrade of Ibrahimović's new team, Paul Pogba
and Henrich Mchitarjan, but also those of Sergio Agüero (Manchester
City) and Mesut Özil (Arsenal FC). None of these superstars are coming
only close to the sum, the raiola for Ibrahimović
knocked out. One is probably not wrong with the assertion,
that in the Premier League with the transfer of the striker in summer 2016
a new sound barrier has been broken in terms of annual salary: the 20-
Million euro mark.
The agreement between Manchester United and Zlatan Ibrahimović
has 36 pages. It becomes interesting in the back part from page 19, which deals with
the additional agreements (“Additional Clauses”), such as the “Goal And
Assist Bonuses «. This clause regulates that the goalscorer Ibrahimović for
his core task, scoring goals, is additionally rewarded. In fact
princely. For the first five goals or assists scored at o cial
Playing Ibrahimović receives 280,000 euros. For goals six to ten
another 470,000. For gates eleven to 15 another 660,000. For gates 16 to
20 more 850,000. For gates 21 to 35 a further 1.13 million. And for
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the gates 36 to 40 another 2.27 million. The bottom line is:

If Ibrahimović actually succeeds 40 or more times in one season
Assists, the striker conceded an additional 5.66 million euros.
Ibrahimović has already shown that he can crack such marks.
In the contract you stumble across a sentence that is the same
Side stands like Ibrahimović's base salary of 22.6 million euros. It reads
that the player "normally" turns out to be a pro at the age of 35
withdraw. That would mean Ibrahimović's commitment to
Manchester United would have ended by June 30, 2017 at the latest - few
Weeks later, on October 3rd, the Swede will be 36 years old.
Another important agreement overrides this note, however:

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It regulates the automatic renewal of contracts between the club and the player
for another year. Two conditions have to be fulfilled: Firstly, should
Ibrahimović started 31 of 38 Premier League games;
second, Manchester United should have at least the 2016/17 season
Finish third place - with which the club after a year of watching
would have qualified for the Champions League again. The probability,
that Ibrahimović fulfills at least the first condition is high. Under
Mourinho is an undisputed regular player and plays almost every game
by.
Should Ibrahimović actually master these hurdles, he would be his
22.6 million salary as well as his goal bonuses in the 2017/18 season
to. It could be even more. Because if Manchester United came up
In the quarter of the Champions League, Ibrahimović would add another 500,000
Collect pounds. If the club were eliminated in half, it would be
1.25 million pounds. For a loss in the final there would be
2.75 million - and for the title win 5.25 million pounds.
Manchester United is investing insane sums to get back into that
To come to the premier class and to the great successes around the
To be able to build on the noughties. For this goal was Ibrahimović
but only the starting shot, albeit a very loud one. Shortly after the
Obligation of the Swedes United again took full risk and
convinced Paul Pogba to move to Great Britain. The
Persuasion wasn't cheap, to be precise: Manchester
made Pogba the new world record transfer. Also behind this mega-deal
There are numerous secrets and bizarre hides.
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THE PRISONER

A few days before Paul Pogba in August 2016 with 105 million euros
Transfer fee for the most expensive footballer in the world, he posted a photo
on Instagram. The French superstar is sitting in a pool, his
Upper body and his six-pack stick out of the water. He's smiling a man
whose white belly bulges over a pair of red swimming trunks. Mino
Raiola, Pogba's advisor, is enjoying the moment. Both laugh.
The photo looks like relief. How big the problems of the
unequal duos were just a few weeks earlier, prove so far
unpublished documents, many of them from the database of
Football Leaks. It's a story that shows yourself being great
Talents like Pogba can run their course in the wild consultant jungle. The existence
wrong agent can jeopardize an entire career.
In 2006 Paul Pogba met Oualid Tanaze i. Tanaze i worked as
Scout for the French pro club Le Havre. The two men are
very similar, both come from poor backgrounds, both are
Rascals who want to achieve something in this life. Tanaze i
had directed Pogba to the youth department of Le Havre. Two years later
he accompanied him to England, where Pogba attended the youth boarding school of
Manchester United.
"It was difficult sometimes because we didn't have enough money," recalls
Tanaze i in the book "Les secrets du mercato" to the time in
Manchester. In terms of sport, too, it was only moderate in England. Possibly
so one sought help and turned to Mino Raiola. The

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Born in Italy, he is one of the most influential people pulling the strings
Industry, with his top stars he has already earned tens of millions.
Raiola transferred the then 19-year-old Pogba from Manchester
Juventus Turin. The midfielder struck, was four times Italian
Champion, reached the Champions League final.
Raiola likes to create sports fairy tales like this. And he knows they are hers
Have a prize: Juventus gave the consultancy fee for Pogba's time in Italy

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the annual reports with 10.5 million euros. Pogba's old pal
Tanaze i, on the other hand, faded completely. He did have the upcoming star
escorted to Italy, but he quickly realized that the French
National players now increasingly sought Raiolas instead of his presence.
Tanaze i had an idea: Together with a buddy named Ylli
Kullashi he convinced Pogba to sell them his advertising rights. in the
Football Leaks material is a document for which it is in German
there is only one term: exploitation. The contract had a lifetime
Term, was not terminable and brought Pogba almost exclusively
Disadvantage. The two advisors, it says in the contract of November 5th
In 2014, all income from advertising rights was free and without
Reinvest and invest in advance agreement with the player. For Pogba
The contract might only have paid off halfway after 15 years:
Then he would have been entitled to 70 percent of the total income.
Tanaze i and Kullashi started a company shortly after the deal
named Koyot Group and registered them in the tax haven of Luxembourg.
By signing the contract, Pogba had entered into a kind of serfdom
both advisors. Advertising contracts are similar for many clubs today
as important as the athletic quality of the players. They are additional
Sources of income. No top club will buy a player whose advertising value he does not
may use. For Pogba, the deal was with Tanaze i and Kullashi
far-reaching consequences, he even endangered his career. Because after
Raiola had gotten wind of this contract and started one
Legal war that resulted in Pogba's advertising rights being indefinite
Time were blocked. Nobody could make money with them anymore. And
the player could not leave Juventus in the summer of 2015, despite it
there were numerous interested parties for him.
Tanaze i tried to resolve the situation in his own way: he offered Pogbas
Advertising rights to sports marketers. The Football Leaks data shows
that he inquired at the Doyen Sports agency at the end of 2015. After getting there
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got a basket, he turned to the Chinese company

Fosun. She also waved it off. In the end, Raiola seemed to have found a solution
to have: According to the French newspaper »L'Équipe«, Tanaze i
and Kullashi five million euros each for Pogba's freedom. Who the money

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has paid? Not clear.

One thing is clear: Raiola earns from Pogba's transfer to the Premier League
now a fortune, and the money flows from all sides, like the football
Evidence of leaks documents. As the French international in the summer
Moved back to Manchester from Turin in 2016, Raiola cashed in
Italians participated in the record transfer: 27 of the 105 million
Euros owed to the agent and his company Topscore Sports Limited in
London. This emerges from a six-page agreement,
Juve general managers Giuseppe Marotta and Raiola on July 20, 2016,
just under three weeks before Pogba's sale.
In turn, Raiola agreed with Manchester United on August 8, 2016
for the obligation to pay Pogba's total fees
The club will receive 19.4 million euros in five installments by the end of September 2020
must transfer. Pogba also has to reward Raiola - there is from him
2.6 million for Raiola's agency Uuniqq Sarl. based in the tax haven
Monaco, paid for by Pogba's new club, Manchester United. Makes
49 million euros for a transfer. Raiola directed inquiries on these
Fees to his lawyer in Manchester. The lawyer replied,
Raiola was "grimly determined to protect its reputation" and "ready, any one
take necessary action to protect yourself «. The lawyer
threatened with "legal steps", should be "defamatory" or his
Client printed "other damaging assumptions"
become.
The questions for him and Pogba about the episode about Tanaze i and Kullashi
called Raiola "tendentious and vicious," called one
»Smear campaign against player agents, people from top-class sport
and especially against the players in football «. Kullashi left several
Inquiries unanswered. Upon request, Tanaze i informed that many »of the
Assertions totally or partially wrong or absurd
interpreted or taken out of context «. He will be in 13 years
Football business has not been involved in any legal proceedings,
instead it would be consistently “transparent and consistent with all
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existing laws work «. Should the publication in

Bringing discredit, so Tanaze i, he would call on his lawyer.

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The threatening gestures can generate a lot of smoke that leave questions
but not obscure yourself as a result. Above all, one thing: Why are Pogbas lying
Trademark rights in tax havens, apparently? Because in some
There is a trace of documents there, you have to Pogbas for it
Pursue trademark rights through a company law. At first they were included
of Blue Brands Limited, a company in the European tax sky of Ireland.
From there they migrated to A ermath Limited, a company founded on
Founded February 4, 2016. That was around a month before Pogba
concluded a multi-million dollar deal with Adidas. The sporting goods manufacturer
does not answer any questions.
The millions that Manchester United for
Pogba's "commercial rights" transfer? On August 8, 2016, the
most expensive players in the world with a so-called Premier League contract
Manchester United. The document that Football Leaks told SPIEGEL
is not only because of the 41 pages
Monster contract.
The French international has been with the club for five years
and collects a basic gross salary of 8,610,616 in the first season
Pound. This "basic wage" will be reduced from the 2017/2018 season
to 7.5 million pounds, but more will come from September 2017
Added amenities: a so-called loyalty payment of 4,098,774
Euro, which is distributed once a year and which is from September
2018 increased to 4,479,200 euros.
There are also a few lucrative if-then options. One goes
It's about the election of World Footballer of the Year: Should Pogba be the best
To be crowned soccer player of the planet, he would receive an annual
Salary increase of 980,393 pounds. Another if-then-
The model is about the Champions League: Should Manchester United choose
to qualify for the premier class, his base salary would increase in the respective end
Season by an additional £ 1.875 million. With a title win would come
And a bunch on top: Pogba would not only get 5.25 million one-time
Collect pounds, which the club collects as a bonus for each player in the squad
instead, his base salary would henceforth be increased by a further 490 196
Pounds topped up.

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Page 174

And then there are his "commercial rights," like them in this one
Employment contract are mentioned: Pogba's advertising rights. In the 2016 season /
In 2017 Manchester United pays 2,870,205 pounds, after which the sum drops to
£ 2.5m per season unless the club comes into the
Champions League - in such years Pogba conceded for the worldwide
Exploitation of his image rights 3.125 million pounds.
But what does Pogba mean here? These payments do not go to the player
personally, but to »image companies«. Whether one of these companies
A ermath Limited does not appear in Pogba's employment contract.
A ermath Limited is based in Jersey, one of the most attractive
Tax havens in Europe.

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Page 175

THE PARTNERS

It's autumn now and we're stuck. We're drilling on that

Company labyrinths of the Dutch-Argentine player agent clique,
and this damn Ronaldo case is a really tough nut to crack. The
Systems are nested and difficult to decipher
We can hardly keep up with money. We interview lawyers, tax consultants,
Experts in international tax law. Hangs in our data room
large whiteboard. We have companies, funds, countries and people on it
painted around the Ronaldo million au too. If you have something
resigns, it looks like abstract art.
Nicola Naber, our economist and documentary journalist, sees
These days you often read about them with thick books under your arm
Running hallways: »Tax havens« and »Treasure islands« are written on the covers.
Specialist literature, and definitely not really exciting. But Nicola digs
deeper and deeper, wants to know exactly. Your workplace looks in the gym
like a waste paper cemetery. Contracts everywhere, piles of them
Company information, German-Spanish translations of legal texts.
Nicola has a habit of sending each of her open questions with a Post-it
to glue the monitor of your computer. The whole screen is yellow.
Jürgen Dahlkamp, our author, who later wrote the Ronaldo story
has done dozens of investigative work in his life
Stories researched. He's a pro. Nevertheless this one sets him
tangled Ronaldo case belonging to. Jürgen hardly has any more now
Face color, but deep circles under the eyes. He holed up in his office
behind file folders and tried a line in hundreds of
Documents related to the companies and finances of the Portuguese
Bring superstars. Jörg Schmitt, economics editor and also since
entrusted with investigative work for many years, as well as Christoph Henrichs,
our youngest colleague, a data expert and because of his outstanding
Knowledge of English, which we only call »Oxford«, supports Dahlkamp
with documents, assessments, cross-checks.

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Page 176

The team is now tired and drained. The research gnaws at us.
We squat together every day, but oh, we don't take a step
further. Either pieces of the puzzle are missing because certain documents are not
are in the database, or there are contradictions in terms of time
Inconsistencies, doubts about the statements in the mails. But get discouraged
let's not give up about it, on the contrary. We meet every morning
at 9 a.m. 3 p.m. in our small group, including the deputy
Editor-in-chief Alfred Weinzierl, the documentary journalist Andreas
Meyho and IT guru Stephan He ner belong and discuss
our progress and regression, esen, eories and above all: evidence. We
collect all unanswered questions, write down the problems for us,
try to develop work plans.
Our focus is now on a joint trip to Lisbon, where that
next EIC meeting should take place. The colleagues from our
The EIC research association was established by our partner »Expresso«, the
most important publishing house in Portugal. There will be four intense ones
Days. Since we have one of the most important meetings of this project in the country of birth
of our whistleblower, particular caution is required. In
Portugal was investigating Football Leaks, and so were we
do not know how much the authorities now know. Nobody feels like
that his notebook may be confiscated. So let them
most of us use our computers and phones at home. Safety rst.
We meet early in the morning in the conference rooms of "Expresso".
Our release plan is already in rough outline, we have
Major topics are determined and also the period in which we publish
want. Now it's about the how and the coordination of the content. It
Over 100 people are now involved in the research, around around
60 journalists. We have to be able to orient ourselves to a clear plan,
so that the project doesn't slip away from us.
We discuss our questions and problems, weigh the legal ones
Difficulties, illuminate the weaknesses of our
Chains of reasoning. Where are we at? Where do we interpret to
much and not enough? Where do we have to disarm? We argue. Hard in
of the matter, but always with clear goals: Every partner should end up

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be maximally satisfied with the publications. But above all: us

no mistakes should happen. Football Leaks is a project that too
strong with morally charged issues like tax justice
grapples. Any mistake would damage our credibility.
And the other side will look very carefully for every mistake. So must
everything we publish has to be double and triple checked. That is true
also for the source.
On the last day of the conference, the discussion got a little heated again:
Several e-mail correspondence has appeared in our data that supports the
Suddenly let the Football Leaks project appear in a different light,
less as an altruistic act of transparency, more than a means of
Enrichment - it's about an alleged blackmail.
The allegation that Football Leaks tried to use the data
Blackmail is not new, the sports marketer Doyen has it almost before
expressed a year. Given the correspondence we have in the
Having found data, the allegations are now working
more concrete. The colleagues want an answer. We can only say that
we asked John about it several times. He always says these are ridiculous
Accusations. How should we deal with this problem? And why has
John left these documents in the material he gave us
if they discredit him and his project? Did he miss her? Wanted
he that we nd them? We're a little at a loss.
Ultimately, we agree on two things. First, the data is real
and relevant, we have now checked that sufficiently. We will the
Content regardless of credibility or possible misconduct
the source. Second, we'll look at John with every line
the emails about the alleged blackmail allegations,
confront. Just like we do with Ronaldo, Mendes, Mourinho
and everyone else we're going to make reveal stories about
to prepare.
At the end of our meeting, we will talk about the two of them
Stories that we have been sitting on for a long time and that we now bit by bit
want to finish peu, because from our point of view they have been researched. It
is about China, the new heaven for old stars who are still at the end of their careers

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want to gild. And about Croatia and Serbia, hell for young people

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Talents there from their club bosses from the start of their careers
be exploited.
Both stories will reveal the absurd, the shabby and the
Cynical in football can still be improved.

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ON THE SILK ROAD

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The career of Ezequiel Iván Lavezzi was like the careers of many
Football pros coming to Europe from Argentina. Successful?
Absolutely. Outstanding? No.
In 2007 the striker was from CA San Lorenzo, a club based in Buenos
Aires, switched to SSC Napoli. In Italy he played five years, shot 38
Goals in 156 games, then Paris Saint-Germain signed him. Lavezzi
Made it to the Argentine national team, but his biggest game on the
Lionel Messis lost: the 2014 World Cup final against Germany.
After that, things didn't go smoothly in Paris either. More and more he sat up Lavezzi
the bank, which was not necessarily conducive to his mood. Last
he complained about "motivation problems".
Then came February 10th, 2016. That was the day he made an appointment
30-year-old pro has an employment contract with the Chinese top division club
Hebei China Fortune. As Lavezzi on page 21 of the document with his
had countersigned some scrawly signature was the aging one
Attacker suddenly the highest paid soccer pro in the world.
Lavezzi signed one with the Chinese Super League club
Contract until December 31, 2017. His salary for almost two years:
$ 56.7 million. Net.
Clause five ("Remuneration of Party B") includes the
I wrote a few more notable key data. 6.7 million
Lavezzi received $ of his net fee as a "signing on fee".
This one-off payment and another 20 million net had to be paid within
of nine days at Lavezzi's house bank Unicredit, more precisely
said: the branch in Luxembourg. A tax haven too, of course.
The $ 26.7 million advance was a condition for
Lavezzi even started the trip to his new employer in
Qinhuangdao, a port city with almost three million inhabitants, for example
300 kilometers east of Beijing. The Argentine had signed the
Contract still in Paris. Lavezzi will now receive the remaining $ 30 million

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in 22 monthly installments of $ 1,363,636 each. Makes $ 45,455 a day. 1894

Dollars an hour. $ 32 a minute. Half a dollar a second.
Lavezzi's contract is a document of madness. Not Lionel Messi and
not Cristiano Ronaldo, the two best for almost a decade
Footballers in the world earned the most on their contracts in 2016
Money. Not even Zlatan Ibrahimović or Paul Pogba, the giant transfers

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of the nouveau riche English. No, a worn out Argentine

National player from a club in China, little known in Europe
is the highest-paid player in the world. How can that be?
In the spring of 2015, President Xi Jinping »ordered the resuscitation
of Chinese football «. China's most powerful man who at the same time also
Communist Party leader had a clear message:
China, which has world-class athletes in numerous individual sports such as on
Produced on an assembly line, it must finally become a major power in football
become. To a superpower.
Xi wants his country to have youth training centers nationwide
au aut and hundreds of thousands of children and young people in this huge empire
systematically sifted through and trained. The Chinese Super League,
the top division in the country, which in the last few years at best
their proximity to the Wettma a international had hit the headlines
to be reformed.
And Xi devoted himself to the national team. China was in the FIFA ranking
at that time in 82nd place, behind Equatorial Guinea, Haiti and Uzbekistan - for
obviously a humiliation for the heads of state and party. His dream
is not just that after 2002 China is finally back for one
Football world championship quali ed. His dream is that China too
organizes the tournament for the first time. And wins the title.
Since Xi Jinping the football awakening in China became the national
Has imposed obligation, the market is unleashed. China's most important
Corporate executives from the real estate industry, the construction industry, the
Consumer goods industry and e-commerce, most of them
Billionaires behind the country's big clubs are outbidding each other
each other with obscene use, regardless of whether it is about the marketing of the
Game or investing in individual players.

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The prices for the TV broadcasting rights of the Super

League suddenly about twentyfold. For the years from 2016 to 2020
TV broadcaster China Sports Media pays the 16 clubs around 1.2
Billion dollars. In the same period up to 2015 it was slightly more than
60 million euros. Also the transfer fees for foreign
Players are now moving at absurd heights - before the 2016 season
the transfer expenses of Chinese clubs were higher than those of the English
Premier League.

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Thelimited
is not expansion
to thecourse of the
domestic newlyBacked
market. rich Chinese economies
up at Inter Milan
Last year the electronics company Suning, in which the
Internet giant Alibaba is involved, for around 270 million euros 69 percent
of the shares. Almost at the same time left the former Italian
Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi even gave his heart club AC Milan
completely investors from the Middle Kingdom - the new owners, too
which also owns the Chinese sovereign wealth fund Haixia Capital, received from
the staunch anti-communist Berlusconi very pragmatically
Award after they valued his AC Milan at 740 million euros
had.
In the English second division, the investment group Fosun took over
the power at Wolverhampton Wanderers. Birmingham City and Aston
Villa previously came under Chinese control, holding at Sparta Prague
Investors from the Middle Kingdom also have shares. The Spanish
Top club Atlético Madrid got Wang Jianlin, the boss of the
Conglomerate Wanda Group. In addition, Wang also took over the Swiss
Company Infront, the television and marketing rights to the football
World championship holds. A strategic feat with which the
Chinese billionaire not only has a huge impact on the
World football federation Fifa secures, but also the favor of the head of state Xi
Jinping - what Wang no doubt in his entrepreneurial
Ambitions in their own country should benefit.
One can say: the Chinese mean business. You pose
more strategic, broader and buy posts, posts and power in almost
all core areas of football. This networking and the bigger one

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Enabling in uence on the European pullers in top football

it is the same for the Chinese, more and more superstars - and not just them
aging - to convince them of their league and their money.
While Didier Drogba was almost an exception when he was in the
Moved from Chelsea to Shanghai Shenhua in the summer of 2012, today's are
Stars like the Brazilian attacker Alex Teixeira, who started the year
In 2016 for 50 million euros from Shakhtar Donetsk to Jiangsu Suning
was transferred, rather the rule. He was followed shortly thereafter by the
Colombian striker Jackson Martínez, who was also in the spring of 2016
For 42 million euros from Atlético Madrid to champions Guangzhou
Evergrande left.
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There is a great deal to be found in the Football Leaks documents

Material on these and many other Chinese deals:
Transfer agreements, employment contracts, money orders, internal
Mail traffic.
Drogba, who joined Chelsea a few weeks before his move
China won the Champions League final against Bayern Munich
came to Shanghai on July 1, 2012. In sloppy
digits are in the Anglo-Chinese treaty
notes how much the striker collected in local currency each month:
20 million yuan gross. That was at the exchange rate at the time
30 million euros a year. For both Chelsea and Drogba
the transfer seemed to be a win-win situation. The English had
their then 34-year-old big earner from the payroll. Drogba himself
had the promise to about his already exorbitant London salary
triple.
Jackson Martínez, in turn, cashes in with the multiple national champion
Guangzhou Evergrande is now ten million euros net per year. This is
comparable to the salary that Toni Kroos received at Real Madrid after his
last raise in August 2016. Atlético Madrid
did not resist the poaching of his striker for a moment. in the
On the contrary: The transfer was a terrific deal for the Spaniards, for him
Colombians owed 42 million euros. Obliged according to the documents
Evergrande, the full transfer fee within one month

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transfer the Atlético account at Banco Santander in Madrid. The

Payment in one fell swoop came in very handy for the Spaniards - as a rule
clubs themselves stutter transfer payments in the single-digit million range
for years in installments.
Shakhtar Donetsk reacted in a similar high spirits than the one
Chinese first division team Jiangsu Suning signed up for the
Brazilian midfielder Alex Teixeira for 50 million euros
to buy out of his contract. In an email, the in-house lawyer named von
Schachtjor the rules of the game: 25 million euros in one week
Club account at Alfa-Bank in Kiev, the remaining 25 million in three
Tranches of 8.33 million each by the end of 2016. After the
The Chinese agreed immediately, the deal was perfect. "Rather
Brooky, ”the Ukrainian lawyer wrote to his negotiating partner

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by Jiangsu Suning, “Congratulations on the greatest transfer in history in

China!"
But now the mood has turned. Until last year dared
At Europe's top clubs, the Chinese only look to players who are at the end of their careers
approached or that were replaceable, players like Drogba, like Martínez, like
Teixeira. That has changed. China's Super League now also lures stars,
who are in their prime - and those on other people's shopping lists too
of top European clubs. Pros like Axel Witsel.
The Belgian international, most recently with the Russian first division club Zenit
St. Petersburg under contract, was considered a preferred candidate by Juventus Turin.
But the 28-year-old Witsel surprisingly switched to the
Chinese first division team Tianjin Quanjian. “It was a very difficult one
Decision because a club with a very big name wanted me
Juve are a great team, ”said Witsel, as if he wanted them
Supporters of the old lady Juve ask for your understanding. Then came the
Explanation for the basket: “There was an offer I made regarding the
My family just couldn't turn down the future. "
At the tempting places from China, even those can
lavish Premier League addresses no longer keep up.
When Chelsea made the € 60 million transfer in mid-December 2016
of the Brazilian national player Oscar to Shanghai SIPG announced that

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sounded the alarm by coach Antonio Conte. “The Chinese market is one
Danger for everyone, "warned the Italian coach," not just for Chelsea,
but for all teams worldwide. «Uli Hoeneß, der
The chairman of the board of directors of FC Bayern München AG railed: “That's just it
still ill."
If you read the Football Leaks documents, you can make that judgment
agree. Oscar, who signed a contract until the end of 2020,
now earns 18 million euros net per season in Shanghai .
The Brazilian will receive seven million euros of this in mid-January as
One-off payment, the remaining eleven million will be paid to him in monthly installments of
transferred one million each. It says so on page five of his
Employment contract, which he signed on December 16, 2016.
The fee for Oscar's teammate Givanildo is similarly bizarre
Vieira de Sousa, better known by its stage name Hulk. The
Brazilian international who, according to the transfer contract in June 2016, for a
Transfer fee of exactly 55,789,473.69 euros from Zenit St. Petersburg
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Shanghai SIPG had changed, now earns 15 million euros in China

net. The large amount of money immediately flows out of the country - the club transfers
Hulk's monthly allowance of 1.25 million euros as requested
an account of the player at the St. Galler Kantonalbank.
So it goes on happily. The Italian international Graziano
Pellè, who joined the Premier League club Southampton FC in the summer of 2016
Shandong Luneng in the provincial capital Jinan changed, cashed there
according to his contract, a basic salary of ten million euros per season.
Even an average striker like the Nigerian Anthony Ujah, the
played for Werder Bremen until summer 2016 and for the Chinese
First division FC Liaoning peeled eleven million euros in transfer fee, is coming -
in addition to a one-off payment of four million euros for the
Contract signing - for an annual fee of three million euros
net.
The Argentine international is almost on a par with Lavezzi
Carlos Tévez. On December 26, 2016, his home club Boca agreed
Juniors and Shanghai Shenhua made the move, Shenhua acquired Tévez for
comparatively moderate $ 8.75 million. At cosmic heights

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However, the salary and bonuses that Tévez on New Year's Day 2017 move
sealed with Shenhua in his employment contract - the player authenticated
each one of the eleven pages with its abbreviation.
Accordingly, Tévez signed until December 31, 2018 and cashed
but 22 million dollars net per season . But that's not all.
He gets an extra million dollars if he is more than 70 percent
his team's compulsory games makes two million if Shenhua's
Asian Champions League wins, a million if Shenhua
National champion, $ 500,000 for the cup win and $ 500,000
for the goalscorer cannon. Ideally, Tévez would come to $ 27 million
in the year. Net.
His so-called match bonus goes under - it is 2000
Net dollars for a tie and $ 4,000 for a win. There are
the premiums that the Chinese teammates from Tévez also received
get after the games. In almost all contracts of the imperial
There is this clause for rewarded foreign stars - it is supposed to
give local pros the impression that everyone is equal
treated.
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Despite its monstrous earning potential, China is and will remain for
many football mercenaries a strange, closed world. You underestimate them
cultural and linguistic barriers that bring loneliness and boredom in
their luxury ghettos. But Tévez has built ahead. In his contract he has
Let it be stipulated that he will be employed until November 30th
In 2017 it can dissolve ahead of time. However, there are two catches:
The only club he can then switch to is his home club Boca
Juniors. And: Tévez would have to go to his club for six million dollars
buy out.
The Football Leaks' revelations about the real money that
China's clubs and corporations are now pumping into football, could
in the Middle Kingdom there may be a debate about the financial excesses in the
Kicking football. This is what Beijing's leadership wants under all circumstances
avoid. As the transfer market after the arrival of Carlos Tévez
threatened to run ever hotter, the rulers already intervened: The
From one day to the next, the football association ordered that in the future

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only three foreigners per team are allowed to stand on the pitch. After that
the transfer madness subsided clearly.
But it is also clear: As long as the communist government is on theirs
Holding on to omnipotence fantasies in football, China will become such restrictions
Club bosses do not prevent old Europe from continuing with their money
uten. For the leagues in England, Spain, Germany or Italy that is
a paradoxical situation. For years they viewed China as the market they wanted
it is important for them to conquer. They had a huge country with 1.4 billion
People in front of their eyes who they deal with merchandising products and
Wanted to milk subscriptions.
Numerous top clubs from all major leagues in Europe crowd
after the end of the season for PR purposes to China, with one, two
Friendship games to bag a few quick millions. Even the
VfL Wolfsburg set out on the trip in May 2016, but had to
When planning take note that the Chinese only focus on the whole
big names. A marketing agency in China serving the five
Should organize a day trip, asked weeks beforehand by email whether it was the
Germans are not able to get more »legendary clubs to tour
to bring «. Only teams like Wolfsburg, it said
Writing, "will not be successful at the ticket office in China." The

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Agency suggested the Wolfsburg-based sparring partner “Real Madrid or

Manchester United «, which like FC Barcelona, Manchester City,
Arsenal from London, Inter Milan or Bayern Munich so far in China
always ignited.
But now the Chinese could turn the tables.
The old powers of Europe could get away from China by their own means
will be overtaken when Beijing's state capitalism gives free play
who undermines billions. Russian oligarchs, Italians
Industrial families or Arab royalty are already capitulating
given the sums that China is pumping into football.
Hebei China Fortune Football makes the Argentine Lavezzi happy alongside
his horrific salary of $ 56.7 million net with two
rent free houses, two limousines, a chau eur, a cook and
an interpreter. If Lavezzi gets injured, his club will transfer him

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the full salary continues to be paid on sick leave. Only when he's longer than two
Months, the fee is reduced by 30 percent - with which Lavezzi
is still just over $ 900,000 net per month. Not
bad for a rehab patient in a country where there is none
comprehensive health insurance and in which that
Average salary of an employee in a big city, one whole
ordinary football fans, that's 845 euros a month.
DER SPIEGEL asked Lavezzi about all the details of his contract.
There was no answer from the player. The club, however, responded to one
detailed inquiry within a few hours. All contents are
"Confidential" and a private matter between club and player, wrote
a lawyer.
The summit of this monstrous treaty is the unilateral option for
Extension for another year, which Lavezzi had guaranteed.
This clause applies under two conditions: On the one hand, Lavezzi must be in
Score 40 goals and provide 20 assists in both seasons.
On the other hand, during this time he must »at least 90 percent of all o cial
Games «. Unit of measurement: the minutes played. Here, too, there is none
Open question. Lavezzi travels to an Argentine game
National team, while his club is in action, will be him
90 minutes still credited. Will the Argentine enter or
is substituted and plays for at least 45 minutes, that counts as if he had
played through. And what if Lavezzi after a tactical foul
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off the pitch with yellow-red and not be there for the next game
can? No problem, it says in the contract - as long as “the chief
ordered this tactical foul «.

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SWISS SEPARATION PITS

The skinny guy with the flowing blond hair he was

Hamburger SV committed last summer for five million euros,
quickly lost his nickname among tabloid journalists. you
Alen called Halilovi ć the 'Balkan Messi'.
The word creation was as flat as it was plausible: Halilovi ć came from FC
Barcelona. In addition, it was - similar to Messi - also in the still young
The Croatian career has always gone very quickly. No sooner had Halilovi ć 16
became, he had a pro contract with the Croatian series champion
Dinamo Zagreb signed. He corrected a few records
Ball artist practically in passing. To this day, Halilovi ć is the youngest
Player who has ever played for Dinamo Zagreb in the first division,
and he's the youngest scorer.
As of September 2012, Halilovi ć made 61 games for Dinamo, then
sell him his club to Barcelona. Signed March 3, 2014
both clubs signed a transfer agreement just under three months later
Halilovi ć sealed his employment contract with the Catalans. father and
Mother Halilovi ć also signed the document - you
gifted son was not yet of legal age at the time.
The story of the child prodigy becoming one of the best clubs in the world
took off to become a star there is told a hundred times. But it shows
only the surface. What is behind Halilovi ć s glossy career
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hides is a completely different matter: a story of greed, of deceit, of

Infidelity. A circle of foreign officials at Dinamo Zagreb
obviously shamelessly enriched himself with the transfer rights of the talented
Player - and left millions of euros that were actually due to the club,
seep away at a company in Switzerland.
The case Halilovi ć is not an isolated incident at Dinamo Zagreb and Dinamo
Zagreb is not an isolated case in the Balkans. Numerous documents in
Football Leaks data corroborate a long-smoldering one
Suspicion: In the former Yugoslavia, hardly a young pro can come along

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Change perspective to another league in Europe without that

Backers through dark channels of his transfer fee and later
Pro tting income.
True Believer in the A ary Halilovi ć began on 3 July 2012. At the time,
the general manager of Dinamo Zagreb signed a three page
comprehensive »agreement« with a company called Rasport Management
AG. This company is based in the small town of Alpnach in the Swiss canton
Obwalden, which is known in the international business world for its
low tax rates and manageable information. The club
from Croatia and the company from Switzerland agreed in the contract,
how they will from now on the transfer income to the 16 years
grown old Alen Halilovi ć would rush au: 50 percent for Dinamo
Zagreb, 50 percent for Rasport Management.
Two years later this contract came to life. Then Halilovi ć changed
to FC Barcelona. The Catalans paid Dinamo Zagreb one
Transfer fee of 2.2 million euros. Dinamo also participated
future transfers of the player. For his one-year interlude as
Loan player at the Spanish first division promoted Sporting Gijón in the summer
In 2015, Dinamo collected another million for selling the young star
to HSV an additional 2.5 million - exactly half of the five million,
which the hamburgers had to transfer to FC Barcelona. So ossen for
Halilovi ć in two years 5.7 million euros in the cash register of Dinamo
Zagreb. But the club only had half. The other was
forwarded: to Rasport Management AG.
Why did Dinamo Zagreb deal with a mysterious company in the
Let in Swiss mountains? Why half the transfer rights
ceded to one of his most lucrative players? Why did the club renounce

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without need to 2.85 million euros?

If you follow the lead in this gloomy deal, you will come across three men
who bear the name Mami ć and come from a family. Zdravko, that
Head of the clan, was President of Dinamo Zagreb from 2003 to 2016,
his brother Zoran, a former Bundesliga pro, worked from 2013 to 2016
as the club's sports director and coach. The third member of the group is called Mario
and is Zdravko's son. His job: player advisor.

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Especially Zdravko is considered one of the most controversial figures of the

Southeast European football. In the summer of 2015, Croatian
Investigators found him and his brother Zoran, the two ended up for several
Days in investigation ha. A few months later, Zdravko came a second
Sometimes in jail for a short time, the judiciary let him back on bail
free. The National Anti-Corruption Authority and
Organized crime has taken on the cause, it lays it out
Mami ć trio, among other things, infidelity, tax evasion and money laundering
a burden.
Zdravko, Zoran and Mario Mamić , so the accusation of the Croatian
Authorities are said to be with four other suspects in the sale of
Dinamo stars abroad over the years millions of euros in their own
Bags have branched off. It's about transfers like that of Luka Modri ć
to Tottenham Hotspur, from Eduardo to Arsenal, from Dejan Lovren to
Olympique Lyon or Mario Mandžuki ć to VfL Wolfsburg.
Members of this alleged conspiracy are also said to be an official of the
Croatian tax authority as well as a high-ranking official of the
national football association, which is also in a leading position
Dinamo Zagreb has worked.
Is the football business in the Balkans a legal vacuum? By doing
Several of the earlier Dinamo pros have already witnessed the trial
testified. Swiss defense lawyers of the Mami ć trio who work in law firms in
Geneva and Lausanne sit, did not comment on the question
Allegations against their clients. It is getting increasingly tighter for all three.
At the beginning of October 2016, the chief contacted the public prosecutor's office in
Sarnen, Canton Obwalden, have a say. The prosecutor reported on
a use of her department for business crimes, the trigger was a
Legal assistance requests from Croatia have been. The order for the Swiss
Investigators: account movements and cash flows of an unlisted
Joint stock company about the Dinamo Zagreb at
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Player changes should have funneled millions of euros. The name of

suspect company: Rasport Management AG. So that company
that of Dinamo Zagreb for no apparent reason in 2012
Transfer rights to Alen Halilovi ć had been transferred and that alone

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for at least 2.85 million euros.

According to the findings of the
Prosecutors from Sarnen reveal numerous alleged criminal payments.
“For example, there are unfounded intermediary services and
about nonexistent player transfers, ”said the executive
Senior Public Prosecutor from Sarnen. The Rasport therefore served as a
Interim storage for the money, large sums ought to be based on the knowledge of the
Swiss investigators from here on to accounts in Belize, Hong Kong,
Dubai, Panama, Gibraltar, London. And in Zurich. From »Payments in
double-digit million range «reported the prosecutor. Your conclusion:
"We are dealing with economic crime of the rougher sort here."
The Halilovi ć -Vertrag with Dinamo Zagreb signed for Rasport
a straw man from Switzerland. Who owns the company is not revealed
from the agreement still from the Swiss commercial register.
Fortunately, the statements made by the Sarner Public Prosecutor help
further. According to her, the economic beneficiary's first name is Mario,
with the last name Mami ć . Zdravko's son. The player advisor. So closes
even in the case Halilovi ć circle.
His job as president at Dinamo Zagreb is Zdravko Mami ć
meanwhile going, but that doesn't seem to bother him: Now he steps as
Adviser to the club on what the new president of Dinamo asked for
not commented. The audacity with which he got his clique and himself about
the years quite obviously on the club assets of the Croatian
Record master has enriched, coincides with the aggressive tone in which
Mommy ć disgusts his critics. His tirades are feared, his
Relationships too - Zdravko Mamić will be the best wires in the Croatian
Believed in politics, justice and the media scene.
Like Dynamo Berlin in the seventies and eighties, the
Favorite club of Stasi boss Erich Mielke, ten times in a row
Dinamo Zagreb won the championship in the GDR league
eleven national championships in a row by 2016. Still are at
Home games usually not much more than 1000 spectators in the Maksimir-
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Stadion. With the boycott, fans are expressing their anger at how their club is
is looted. The Football Leaks documents confirm theirs

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Fears. The documents show how the club management of

Dinamo half of the transfer rights of three other players
has sold.
One of them is Mateo Kova č i ć . The midfielder changed
In early 2013 for eleven million euros to Inter Milan, in summer 2015
The Italians sell it on to Real Madrid for 31 million. The
The Dinamo bosses had half a year of ground for their kickback business
leveled before Kova č i ć s move to Milan. Signed on May 17, 2012
the general manager of the club signed an agreement under which Dinamo the
Half of Kova č i ć s transfer fee to a company called Profoot
International Limited would pay. Headquarters: Hong Kong. Both
For the other two players, the business was based on the same principle: with
Striker Duje Č op handed half of the transfer proceeds to Zoran Mami ć
a company called International Sport Company Ltd based in Malta
further. With defender Tin Jedvaj, who plays for Bayer Leverkusen today,
Zdravko Mami ć bequeathed half of the transfer rights in one
written agreement from a company called Barnes & Bell Limited in
London.
Who stands behind the companies, which Dinamo Zagreb for the participation
The result of the donation to these three players is millions of euros
Contracts not. But common sense could help
for what is treacherous about these agreements is their wording. All three
Agreements are almost identical to the contract in
Dinamo Zagreb half the transfer fee for Alen Halilovi ć der
Swiss company Rasport Management contributed. There was Zdravko
Mami ć s son Mario the recipient. The Swiss lawyer of Rasport
Management AG did not comment on the allegations.
Young pros in the Balkans who promise high transfer fees are
often serfs to their club bosses. In many cases they don't notice anything
of the haggling over their transfer rights. Would they get the windy
Resisting deals before moving abroad, they risked theirs
Career goals. So they keep quiet - and play the murky game
forced with.
It was the same with attacker Mijat Ga ć inovi ć , who died on August 11th

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Joined Eintracht Frankfurt in 2015. The Hessians chew the young Serbs
by Apollon Limassol. That it was a lazy deal they were on
would have the two Eintracht board members Heribert Bruchhagen and
Axel Hellmann can even back then. Because the jersey of the
Ga ć inovi ć never wore first division clubs in Cyprus . Apollon Limassol
had the young Serb under contract only a few days earlier, on July 31
taken: 10,000 euros per month, four-year term. It was a
Sham contract , which Ga ć inovi ć also signed. Probably the boy had
Player no choice. He had to sign and the stopover
in Cyprus so that others can take part in his move to Frankfurt
could enrich.
Ga ć inovi ć s home club was FK Vojvodina Novi Sad. The
The club president had an agreement in the Mami ć style on March 17, 2015
signed. Accordingly, the FK Vojvodina transferred Ga ć inovi ć s
Transfer rights in full to a company called European Sports
Management. The seat of this company was Montreal in Canada, their house bank
but was in Switzerland. The aim of this deal: the young pro as quickly as
possible to sell abroad and cash in.
Because it was foreseeable that a German Bundesliga team would win the Ga ć inovi ć -
Transfer hardly via the Swiss account of a Canadian dumpster
would have to come up with another solution to get the money into the
Shoveling Switzerland: a triangular business. This is how Apollon came into Limassol
Spiel, a club that willingly helped raise a million dollar amount
disguise. On August 3, 2015, FK Vojvodina and
Apollon Limassol signed a transfer agreement. Accordingly, they committed
Cypriots Mijat Ga ć inovi ć for 1.25 million euros. The transfer fee
About pointed Apollon - as demanded by the Serbs in the contract appendix - on
an account with the private bank EFG in Switzerland. Recipient: the European
Sports Management.
Only eight days later, Apollon Limassol got the money back: from
Eintracht Frankfurt. The Hessians transferred for the obligation
Ga ć inovi ć s exactly 1.25 million euros to Cyprus. So was Apollo
back to zero. The Cypriots are allowed to cash in their pro t later. Wherein
If this pro t exists exactly, see pages three and four in

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Page 194

exciting details of her contract with Eintracht Frankfurt. Accordingly, receives

Apollon from the Frankfurters half the sum that would be paid for one
Resale Ga æ inovi æ s will be due. Also its minimum price is
de ned: 2.5 million euros. The Frankfurters wanted him for less
sell, they would have to ask Apollon Limassol for approval.
Neither FK Vojvodina Novi Sad nor Apollon Limassol responded
Inquiries about the disreputable deals for the transfer rights to Ga ć inovi ć .
The player didn't comment either. Eintracht Frankfurt answered that
Club commented “in principle, just as little as contractual details
Contractual relationships to which we are either not a party
or of which we have no knowledge ”.
But the Frankfurters make it too easy for themselves. At least you would have
can guess who they were facing during the contract negotiations:
the pro teur of a triangular deal. What other explanation should it be?
for giving a notoriously ill repute club like Apollon
Limassol committed a player from Serbia to him during the summer break
resold after eight days - and yet 50 percent to all
wants to be involved in future transfer proceeds for this player? So came
as it usually happens when young pros from the Balkans move into one of the
Change Europe's top leagues: A lot of money seeped away.
But who is behind the company from Canada, at their private bank in
Zurich landed 1.25 million euros? The Ga ć inovi ć contract with the
FK Vojvodina Novi Sad had one for the European Sports Management
Signed straw man from the canton of Obwalden. Same straw man
also acted as director of Rasport Management AG in the Halilovi ć deal.
The septic tank of Mami æ -Clans.

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Page 195

IN TAX PARADISE

The nice thing about Intella, the data processing system we use in
Looking for John's material is that the so ware shows no emotion.
While we - journalistic distance or not - talk about the Mamićs,
the Chinese, Ronaldo or other tax swindles get upset, makes Intella
only one thing: she spits out Tre he. Very cool, completely untouched. Even if
Intella comes across the British Virgin Islands for the thousandth and thousandth time - mostly
it just delivers the companies, sometimes the player agents and now and then
to the economic beneficiaries, straw men and administrators. Meanwhile
we have found dozens of companies that raise funds from the football industry -
Fees, advertising rights, bonuses and commissions - through the British Virgin
Send Islands. The islands are a discreet tax haven, perfect for that
secret football bubble.
Yet despite all these strands converging there, Intella would never
get the idea that we should go to the Caribbean personally to
the dirty business on the other side of the world once on site
to research. Sometimes Intella needs us too.
But the route alone poses problems for us. Since there is no
Directly from Germany, we could go via Miami or New York
arrive. Problem number one: Anyone entering via America becomes strict
controlled. To avoid unnecessary questions, include one
involuntary extended stay on an American
Police station, we would have to apply for a journalist's visa in advance.
But this would result in problem number two: The authorities of the
Caribbean island state do not like foreign journalists. We read
in several blogs that English colleagues in the past few months
travel to the British Virgin Islands on a journalist visa
but at the airport straight back to the next plane home
were set, sometimes with flimsy justifications such as
»Incorrect registration of the technical equipment«. secrecy
is part of the business model for the tax haven that needs to be protected.

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It would also be possible to travel via Costa Rica, but then

we lose at least a day. And time is at this stage of the
Football Leaks Project is an expensive commodity. Ultimately, the solution is ours
in-house travel agency that has helped us on such kinky adventures
has always been great supporters: We could have a fork over Paris
and take the Dutch Caribbean Islands. We don't need one for that
Journalist visa, and we only lose one ourselves by changing planes
few hours. Booked!
Nicola Naber presents us with a dossier on the small Caribbean state
together. She writes to us the most important "target persons" as she does
Straw men and stewards who call letters, come out, lay us down
Their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram profiles are also created by an analysis
about money transfers and company nesting. We feel at home
a bit like "Charlie's Angels". Nicola is Charlie, she will be ours
Navigate the Caribbean from Hamburg for the next few days.
From above, from the plane, the British Virgin Islands look like one
Fabulous world. It could be Middle-earth or any of the others
Be rich from Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings". The hills and small ones
Elevations on the many tiny islands are green, full of trees, dense
overgrown. The beaches shine white. We can only do a few roads
catch sight of. It is hard to imagine that this sunny paradise would be so gloomy
Businesses are made. Billions of euros are supposed to seep away here?
But thanks to Nicolas Dossier we can get behind the Caribbean idyll
watch. The British Virgin Islands consist of 60 small islands that are around
one hundred kilometers from Puerto Rico. Lots of sun, a real one
Tourist magnet, with just under 30,000 permanent residents. That is the
nice page. The dark side can be reduced to a single number:
600,000. That is how many letter mails are registered here. With them becomes a
dirty multibillion-dollar business against the
Welfare states, from which the much money comes. Because many
O shore constructions are only used to save taxes
and let the financial authorities run wild.
For tax evaders, life in the past few years is clear
got more complicated. After many years, banking secrecy is the

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riddled with major scandals, and since the banking and financial crisis the

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Has badly
Money thatshaken national
owed the budgets,
treasury. many
So the countries
customs are the
increase exacerbating the hunt
Border controls, European tax offices buy tax data from
Whistleblowers and request several hundred account accesses every day.
Many double taxation agreements were recently concluded, the
The pressure on countries that do not cooperate continues to increase. It requires
so more and more creativity, maybe also criminal energy, his money
somewhere safe to hide from the tax authorities of his home country.
The next morning we walk down Waterfront Drive, the
main street of the capital Road Town. Anyone who works here sees a lot
quickly that money feels comfortable on this island. The small houses are lined up
close together and obey the same pattern: on the ground floor
is a sports shop, a jewelry store or a cell phone shop. In the
first floor, where almost all banks, auditing companies,
Law firms and fiduciary firms, on the other hand, create it themselves
many mosquitoes only got into it with great difficulty. The windows are almost always
locked, many of the law firms have cameras over the entrance
installed, the doors can only be opened with chip cards. That
There are almost no letters outside, just a surprise in the
first moment. In the second moment it becomes clear: letters and everything else
Documents are only passed from hand to hand here. We can do that
observe many times.
Our first destination is a building labeled “International Trust
Building «. We are actually looking for "Paros Consulting Limited", one
Company through which numerous Dutch and Argentine player agents
unite their businesses with dozens of pros and gamblers from all over the
Unwind the world. We have the address, but we can find the company
nowhere. Instead, we land in front of a building where a
shiny sign hangs: "Trident Chambers". Trident Chambers is in
the Football Leaks contracts as a scolding for the Paros
expelled. A classic letter construction. It's a gray one
Building with concrete pillars in front of the door and a sun symbol over it
Entrance area. Cameras are installed on the outside of the doors, we leave them

Page 198

initially looking at the goings-on from a distance.

Several times a day there are messengers, many of them Asians, in heavy,
mirrored SUVs, get out of the with thick briefcases
Cars and stand in front of the front door. You don't have to ring the doorbell
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instead, it appears that someone inside the building is checking who is in front of the
The door is open, then the portal opens. They come a few minutes later
Messenger out again. Then go one building further, into one
narrow side street. Here, too, there is nothing from Paros, but on the outside of the
A sign with the inscription hangs next to a narrow door on the wall
"International Trust". That is the actual Paros address, we have that
can be compared with a business register beforehand.
We ring the doorbell. Nothing happens. We wait for a messenger to come, ask
who works in the building. No Answer. The young woman scurries without a word
pass us and disappear behind the door.
The British Virgin Islands, where around $ 50 billion is managed
have become different over the past few decades
Developed into such a coveted tax haven. Although the
Archipelago is a British overseas territory, is paid here with dollars,
which is very helpful for international business. The laws are o
identical to the English, the political system is stable, which is important
for the security of the hidden money. Maintain the British Virgin Islands
moreover, and this is crucial here, a strictly confidential one
Share register, to which European tax investigators hardly have access.
A company is founded in the British Virgin Islands in three to five
Meetings, and it's also incredibly cheap: You can get there from 75 euros.
The biggest attraction, however, is that they pay for income from abroad
Letters have no taxes.
It is useless to stand around here and pay attention
irritate. We won't get any answers, we might instead
Trouble with the police. We keep walking down Waterfront Drive
see small bank buildings in which no more than a handful
Employees can nd space, even the big auditors like
PricewaterhouseCoopers and KPMG have their branches here. And of course
Mossack Fonseca, the law firm headquartered in Panama and

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Main protagonist of the »Panama Papers«, the great unveiling series about
O shore business by politicians, actors, business leaders and
Criminals, published by the »Süddeutsche Zeitung« and theirs
Research partners from the »ICIJ«.
We stop in front of a yellow, slightly faded building.
Downstairs, on the first floor, is a pharmacy. We go in, see how one

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elderly woman picks up a drug for her lumbago. Outside

peck chickens. They sometimes run randomly onto the main street, some
also jump on the outside stairs that lead to the first floor. There where
one of the greatest secrets of world football lies.
The law firm "Icaza, Gonzalez - Ruiz & Alemán" has on this
Nicolas Dossier tells us about their offices on the 1st floor. You can't do it from the outside
Look into the building, all shutters and blinds are up
closed. Nobody would guess that companies are here for big ones
Football stars are reported. The building over which more than
hundred million euros have been poured out of Cristiano Ronaldo's fortune,
one can confidently call it a dump.
We sit down in front of one on the opposite side of the street
Gas station. A couple of elderly men sit on a bench and eat
Sunflower seeds. They watch us as we watch the building.
It would be more exciting to watch grass grow. There is none
Movement, no change of staff, no messengers. After a couple of hours
a woman finally comes out of the front door. It's Liz B.
We recognize them immediately. We nd dozens of pages in Nicolas Dossier
about the young lawyer. She is an o shore expert who used to work in
Panama worked. Now she works for the law firm, the Ronaldos
Has put on the money chute. Three companies with which the multiple
World footballer contracts, were at »Icaza, Gonzalez -
Ruiz & Alemán «. Liz B. knows how things work. We would
like to speak to you, but she immediately gets into her black SUV and roars
from that. We decide to come here earlier tomorrow and meet her before
Start to ask a few questions.
And indeed, the next day, shortly before nine o'clock, she comes with me
their SUV back. The young lawyer looks sleepy, you

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Walk is slow, shoulders hang. We go up to her, smile,

have two photos with them. One from Ronaldo, the other from Mourinho.
Our scam is incredibly clumsy, but sometimes they work
simple things best. We ask Liz B. if she knows them both.
Liz B. laughs, she actually stops. "Cristiano," she says, pointing
on the left photo. »Mourinho«, a tap on the right picture. "You know,
that the two of them have registered companies here? ”we ask, pointing out
the first floor.

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Lizpast
winds B's face slips
us and away.upShe
hurries thebows
stairs.her
Wehead, raises her hand in defense,
ask further:
"Do you know the Tollin company?" Liz B. replies only defensively:
"Please, please." She holds her electronic chip card in front of a reader
next to the front door and scurries into the small office. Back in the world
of secrecy and lack of transparency.

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THE VISIT

After the trip to the British Virgin Islands we are also interested in
Ronaldo and Mourinho especially the Paros company and the Dutch-
Argentine player agent clique. We want to know how this system works
works and who is behind it. That the Connection's money is draining away
we are more of that than ever after our trip to the Caribbean
convinced.
We consult Intella. But our beloved friend does
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first time problems. Maybe it will be a bit too much for her now
much. Who could blame her? Located in the Football Leaks data
encrypted documents that we have on John's hard drives
can open, but Intella only shows them incompletely. Thereby
we have blind spots and we suspect important ones are missing
Puzzle pieces. We rack our brains, but we can't solve the problem
remedy.
I ask John's advice. He puzzles around a little, but also falls for him
no solution. He says he'd like to see it in person. In
Hamburg. I swallow.
I don't know how he travels. Is he using a fake passport?
I'm not ruling anything out anymore. I ask myself and him, too, if he's not scared
before the investigative authorities. There is an o cial procedure
against football leaks. What happens if he gets into passport control? Gives
Is it possibly already a Europol-Ha order? Then it would be Europe-wide
advertised for search.
"Do not worry. You can’t hold anything against me
to have. Nothing at all, ”writes John. How can he be so sure about that?
I discuss his proposal with our team. We all have one
Bad feeling. John would have to go to our data room to access the material
get. We want and can a source so close to ours
Let research? On the other hand, there is no one in the world
who knows the data better, more precisely than he does. He should only give us the

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Explain connections, otherwise it will not have any in uence on ours

Have research.
But can we expect him to lie? In spite of
Preliminary investigation? On the other hand: he travels all the time. Since I
know him, he tells me about his several dozen flights, including those
remote areas. He will be best able to assess the risk.
We decide: He should come to Hamburg.
John is happy, but also sets a few conditions for the visit:
“Except you, none of your colleagues should see me. I don't want anyone
to be introduced. My anonymity should continue as much as possible
be preserved. This also means that the hotel is not in my name
is booked. "
I'm thinking. If he doesn't want to be introduced to anyone, means

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that we can only go to the SPIEGEL building late in the evening or at night.
Before that there is too much activity, he would definitely be seen by colleagues
become. "No problem, then we do it exactly like that," he writes. I
tell our team that for the period that John is visiting us for
all colleagues are prohibited from data rooms from 10 p.m. The team is after
all these months not unhappy about leaving the room earlier
to have to.
John and I meet at the main train station. He arrives tired
In any case, he was not haunted. The man travels with very little
Luggage. Only a tiny backpack hangs over his shoulder. To
After a stop at the hotel, we go to Café Paris for breakfast,
right in the city center.
"What are our plans?" He asks, with an English breakfast in front of him
Beans and bacon.
"Do you want to go anywhere?" I ask back.
He knew that he wanted to go to the Reeperbahn with me to celebrate
written beforehand. Now John names a few others
Sights: the Speicherstadt, the town hall, the harbor, the Alster.
And he wants to go to Hamburger SV. “They play at home on Saturday, I have
read. I go to soccer in every city I am in, ”he says.
To soccer? And then does he want to go to Hamburger SV, of all places?

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We agree that he can see the city alone during the day, since I
must continue to work on the data. Due to the tight schedule, I can
Don't take a week off. We'll be in the coming
Days almost always meet at 7 p.m., then go out to eat together and
then either end up in the editorial office or in the neighborhood.
Sometimes both. It's going to be crazy days.
On the first evening, however, we are still very disciplined. To point
We go to the editorial office at 10 p.m. There's one in the SPIEGEL building
Back entrance, which only a few colleagues use, so I can tell John
bring it unnoticed into our data room. Just a few steps behind the
He stops at the door, looks around, looks at the whiteboard and says
after a quick glance: "There is a mistake." He almost prances
Tiptoe across the room, stand in front of the blackboard and knock on one
of the places marked, it's about Ronaldo's image rights: »Here, that is
not correct. Are you missing the documents or have you not found them? "
I look at him aghast. It's one of the places we've been
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Hang for weeks. The question is: who is the current owner?
of Ronaldo's advertising rights, a pretty complicated one because over
Tax havens veiled construction.
"There's nothing about it in the documents," I say.
"Oh. Then I have to send this to you, "says John. Indeed
We will receive a document a few days after his departure that
the complete obfuscation explained. The guy is driving me crazy.
"Come on, turn on your system," says John. We sit down at the
Computer. I show him our so-ware, Intella, he listens, no movement,
his face remains expressionless. But his eyes scan carefully
the whole screen. I show him the emails that we don't open
can. John pulls the keyboard towards him, types something, links two files
with each other, enter another search term, unzip a folder,
pulls him over, another password, whatever - I feel fine
very dizzy from the back and forth - and bang: Open hundreds of emails
including all attachments. I have no idea how John will do this in a nutshell
who made time.
He also solves another problem: We haven't been able to do this for days

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print sensibly. A mistake that nobody understands so far. If we

want to print, nothing happens. It only works after one
saved the document to a clipboard. That sucks and
takes time. John clicks here and there and everything is fixed. It all works
so easy. If I had his technical understanding with our first
If I compare attempts to walk in the Intella system, I feel like one
Elementary school students.
"Why don't you work as an IT specialist or engineer?" I ask.
“I didn't learn that. Who should take me? "Says John,
while his eyes dance over the search string on the screen.
“But you could study it or do an apprenticeship. You
you have a knack for it, and all over the world there are good ones
Computer geeks wanted. "
"The train left. Everyone gets to one at some point
Crossroads and have to choose something. I chose one
decided another way, that's okay. "
John is sometimes prone to severe pathos.
"Where should your path lead you?"
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“Big question,” says John. Break. We both think, it feels

forever. “Do you think it's worth being a whistleblower? Snowden,
Assange, Manning, Deltour - was it worth it? For her? ”John is looking at me now
straight in the eyes. It is the first time that he is away from the computer
has averted.
"It was worth it for society," I say.
“You see, that's where my path should lead. It should work for society
worth it. Sport is such a big business, and if so, football
Leaks just a few additional controls arise around the
To get a little more grip on football again, again
honest, down to earth if that's the result of the project
is, then it was worth it for me too. Then I am satisfied. "
John clicks on one of the companies in the British Virgin Islands. We will
sit in the editorial office until four in the morning, about the greed of the
Player agents discuss, analyze their power and their tricks, about it
think about why all the clubs are playing this game. At the end

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we become the o shore puzzle of the Dutch-Argentine agents

have come a long way closer.

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Page 206

DOCUMENTS OF GREED

In the summer of 2016, Mino Raiola drove Borussia Dortmund crazy.

The player agent had achieved his goals again, and at Raiola is called
that: His negotiating partners were completely done. He had her in one
Brought to a situation that would be described as "desperate" in a friendly way. No matter,
in the end, only one could decide what their decision would be
win: Mister Raiola.
It was about Henrich Mchitarjan, an Armenian who left BVB
wanted. Raiola had found an offer from Manchester United
Premier League, England, where big money is made. The
The problem seemed to be Mchitarjan's contract. The midfielder was still
Tied to the club for one year, Dortmund's managing director Hans-Joachim
Watzke spoke into every TV microphone that he would not sell Mchitarjan,
definitely not, end of the announcement.
Raiola, a short, loud Italian with a big belly and a hoodie,
was not impressed by it. He's been in the business for over 20 years
Footballers, he has dealt with such dazzling figures as Silvio
Berlusconi, the previous owner of AC Milan, Florentino Pérez, the
Presidents of Real Madrid, or the Qatari governor near Paris
Saint-Germain, Nasser Al-Khelai. Anyone who does business with such people
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does, he doesn't care much about the announcements made by the Sauerlander
Watzke.
Especially since Raiola had a joker up his sleeve, of which the
Public suspected nothing. The paper can be found in the Football Leaks
Record. The March 1, 2014 document is a three-page annex to
Raiola's consultancy agreement, which was a decisive one at the end of the negotiations
May have played a role. Because Raiola did not just get a stake
assure the resale of Mchitarjan, but also a profit,
if the player would not be sold. Raiola could do this
So the deal only won and BVB had all the means in hand
Apply thumbscrews. Because if Borussia Dortmund had the offer

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rejected from Manchester and insisted that Mchitarjan his

Contract fulfilled, the club would have Raiola with a million dollar amount
have to compensate.
Watzke sells e Mchitarjan on July 5, 2016 for 38 million euros,
Raiola allegedly collected 2.5 million from BVB , and also pays
Manchester United paid him a fee of 1.185 million euros. That
Mchitarjan has been a substitute player since then, and o only
Switching back and forth between the stands and bench is another
History.
Because this story deals with the business conduct of the
Player advisors, their urge to make quick and dirty money. It
is a scene in which not always the cleverer, but mostly the bold one
interspersed. A world full of shadow men, string pullers and
Soldiers of fortune, in the toughness, speed and negotiating skills
most important skills are. Even top players adored by millions
driven by millions, degenerate into one in this milieu
Investment that, please, should generate returns.
One of these top players is Julian Draxler. The German
National player who won the European Championship in France for the first time
Was able to convince internationally at the time is a very hot share. So
at least reads the contract that the agency of the consultant Roger
Wittmann negotiated with FC Schalke 04 in 2013 .
Wittmann and his company Rogon are among the most successful
German player agent, he's been in the business for decades, internationally
networked, a contractor pro. Wittmann never has a player agent license
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acquired, he is a trained plumber. In the past few years he got caught

Again and again in criticism because he played with clubs like FC Schalke 04, the
TSG Ho enheim or VfL Wolfsburg several players at the same time
had accommodated and thereby had a great in uence on the
Decisions in the clubs was reported.
At Draxler, Wittmann's people showed how hard they can negotiate.
Draxler was only 19 years old before his contract extension in 2013, but
despite his young age already a player on several major clubs
had thrown an eye. That his achievements between genius and

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Graupe wavered, seemed the good negotiating position of the Wittmanns

Company Rogon on Schalke not to endanger. The contract that the
Gelsenkirchener signed, not to explain.
In a nutshell: Schalke referred Rogon for Draxlers
Contract extension 1.2 million and for each additional season
450 000 Euro. Of course, net. Rogon put another clause in the
Write a contract that Schalke would soon regret: With one
Transfer, no matter when, no matter where, the club would have to 15 percent of the total
Pay out the transfer fee to the rma consultants. The Royal Blues celebrated
the degree anyway like a title. They mounted a picture of
Draxler, the new hope-bearer, on a truck and left that
Vehicle even roll through Dortmund, the city of the arch-rival. Look here,
the show-off number should say: You are masters, but we have that
Master player of tomorrow.
The real winner of the deal showed for two and a half years
later, however, was Roger Wittmann's company. Draxler shares shot up like that
right up. On the last day of the transfer window in August 2015
Draxler moved to VfL Wolfsburg for around 36 million euros. About
5.4 million euros were then transferred to Rogon's account. Did everything
in all around seven million euros for the contract extension of a 19-
year old player. And speculate for 28 months. The everyday one
Consultant madness.
Pro football is a billion dollar business and one of its excesses
is the consulting business. For many of the players, the contract negotiations are up
too strenuous and the contract documents too complicated, o they are missing
also the contacts to offer oneself to other clubs or
Attract sponsors. Consultants can relieve you of these tasks,

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O times they are not only all-round providers for the football team, but also
Buddy and confidante - or what 18-year-old new millionaires think they are.
They buy villas for their players, they manage their assets, they answer
even late at night on WhatsApp messages. The closer the
Agents' turn to their stocks, the lower the chance that one will
Competitor chases them away.
Over the past five years, agents' fees have increased in

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Europe doubled. In German and English pro football conceded

Player agent 2015 from the clubs more than 370 million euros. Worldwide
it was estimated at a billion euros plus a large number of unreported cases,
distributed to over 6400 agents. The consultancy contracts in the Football Leaks
Data treasure provides an overview of how creative, unscrupulous,
The agents ripped off to get their commissions.
Right at the forefront: the Rogon agency. According to the company homepage
Five managers work there, including Christian Rapp, one of the managing directors
Rogon branch in Brazil. Trading in talents from the Sugar Loaf
described Rapp to the »taz« as a »massacre of hopes«.
Many young players would compete for a pro contract, »but only
very few come through «. That a consultant also works for you
Rapp, however, did not mention that he can earn a lot of little talent.
Hardly anyone could describe the system better than him.
In the Football Leaks data there is a contract dated April 28, 2014,
closed between Ben ca Lisbon, the Portuguese top team,
and Rogon. Rapp signed it. It's about the striker Kevin
Friesenbichler. Kevin who?
Kevin Friesenbichler, then 19, a striker from Austria, kicked in 2014
in the reserve team of Bayern Munich, fourth division, the opponents
were called TSV Buchbach or Bayern Hof. What did a Champions League
Participants like Ben ca with such a player? The obvious answer:
Nothing. In the same summer, the Portuguese awarded Friesenbichler
Lechia Danzig. There were also in the shops of the Polish club at that time
two close Wittmann buddies clamped in.
Rogon collected a million for the mediation of Friesenbichler
€ from Ben approx, of course net. In addition, the Portuguese granted the
Agency a 50 percent stake in a later transfer fee for
Friesenbichler, minus the million already paid. For comparison: For
the mediation of the Brazilian national player Luiz Gustavo von
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Bayern Munich to VfL Wolfsburg, Rogon received in 2013 a fee of

1.2 million euros plus an annual commission until the end of Gustavos
Five-year contract, which was between 300,000 and 350,000 euros. Is a
Brazilian international at the height of his career, for example

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worth as much as a Bavarian fourth division kicker? Is Ben ca Lisbon easy

just stupid? Or is there a completely different one behind all the money
History?
In the football industry, there is no controlling body such payments
to. There is no limit for transfer fees, and none for the consultant scene
Cartel Office. Tax investigators and investigators come up with the complicated
international deals are seldom tracked down. Even Fifa has
meanwhile abandoned: The world association that actually controls football
to regulate, has left the registration of advisors to the
National associations - the surrender to an industry in which, in principle
everyone can get involved.
The more money is pumped into football - like last time in England, where
a TV contract guarantees the clubs an additional three billion euros annually -,
the more gamers feel attracted to the consulting industry. Since the
When in doubt, clubs will do almost anything for a good player, so will they
Agents' fees are increasingly unbelievable.
And now: Clear the stage for Volker Struth. The Cologne belongs to
Germany's elite consultants, his company SportsTotal, take care of it
for example about the German national players Marco Reus and Benedikt
Höwedes. Until a few months ago, Struth was also Mario Götze's agent,
but the two fell out. Gotze is now from his father
to advise.
Struth was able to put an end to this business relationship. The
former league footballer, who before his time as a player advisor
Selling office supplies and making his first big money with Germany
Flag earned for the 2006 World Cup, continues to make the big deals.
In mid-October 2016, two million euros were due for his agency.
Sender: Real Madrid. And this transfer is just the beginning of the
first part of a fee, which will amount to five million euros by October 2018
will pile up.
The commission is a thank you from Los Blancos. Because according to the contract
Struth convinced his protégé Toni Kroos to be much higher
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Refuse offers from other top clubs and sign up to the

to promise current Champions League winners. Real Madrid increased

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at the same time the basic annual salary of Toni Kroos of 10 909 091
14 545 455 euros. A player like Kroos is like a goal for an agent
30 meters for a central defender: a lucky striker. Kroos' development
has been going up for years, and so have been increasing for years
Sums that can be earned with him.
Are five million euros consultant fee for a contract extension
appropriate? Customary in the market? Or absurd? Clubs and advisors want that
Create the impression that such sums are part of day-to-day business as if they were
normal because they are now accepted by every club. The
Bayer Leverkusen provides the most bizarre examples of this. The club is in
Dealing with player agents very thoroughly and demands from the
Agents a kind of proof of work. In the Football Leaks documents
If there are half a dozen such protocols, sometimes they are called
“Part of the payment agreement”, times “mediation protocol”. There are
four-column tables in which the player agents show the date, the topic, the
Type and result of your negotiations with the association or
Players should note.
Señor Eduardo Hernández Applebaum, whose agency in St. Antonio,
Texas, seated, filled out the log very carefully. Javier's advisor
Hernández Balcázar, better known as Chicharito, the little pea, led the way
detailed on what he had done to help the Mexican striker
Transfer from Manchester United to Bayer Leverkusen: Nine
Telephone calls, two emails and seven face-to-face meetings with the player
and those responsible for the two clubs are in Applebaums
Proof of work. Should Chicharito still be in the 2017/2018 season for
Bayer play, Applebaum's agency would receive for these efforts
Fee totaling 1.5 million euros. Not bad for eleven days
Commitment.
The Leverkusen advisor protocols also show that agents were present
Don't stop at anyone, not even in front of the national coach. Joachim Löw
had access to player agents before the 2014 World Cup
Mannscha squartier Campo Bahia prohibited. The World Cup participants should
focus on the tournament.
Midfielder Christoph Kramer and his agent René vom Bruch

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found an easy way to bypass this contact block. According to one

“Mediation Protocol” of October 15, 2014, they met “in person
next to the Campo Bahia «. Von Bruch wrote in the record that he had taken part
Kramer discussed »the sporting situation and the contractual situation«
and informed the player that Leverkusen at an early stage
I am interested in extending the contract. Kramer was at Borussia at the time
Mönchengladbach on loan. As a result of the meeting noted from
Bruch: Kramer "will think about it".
That the meeting three days before the eighth game against Algeria
took place did not seem to bother the advisor. Business is business.
And for a national player there is simply the highest return.
The Leverkusen winger Karim Bellarabi graduated in October
His first international match in 2014, four months later he extended his
Contract. Konstantin Liolios, Bellarabi's advisor, listed in his
Proof of work eleven phone calls, two emails, one letter and nine
personal meetings, two of which are not real
There were work stops: once he drove to Leverkusen to find his
To sign his own contract with Bayer, he was once
there when Bellarabi signed the player's contract. The works club transferred
Liolios' agency KL Sportsbase plus 3.5 million euros
statutory VAT 247 500 EUR for the rest of the season 2014/2015
as well as 495 000 euros for each additional game time Bellarabi for Leverkusen
au aufen - the player extended until June 30, 2020. The
Consultancy agency also receives 15 percent of the gross base salary and the
Your player's bonuses. An insane fee.
But it can be even more crazy. The really big money for consultants is part of it
Transfers like the one from Gareth Bale, who took over from
Tottenham Hotspur joined Real Madrid for a record fee.
Florentino Pérez, the President of the Royal, had the obligation of the
Welsh top striker named Transfer of the Year,
his willingness to pay was correspondingly great. Bale's move
finally cost Real 101 million euros, which, as already described,
Had to remain a secret so that Cristiano Ronaldo, to date record transfer
of the club, was not offended. For Bales agents remained 16 373 000 euros,

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which will be transferred to you in three installments by September 15, 2015

had to.
Neither the clubs nor the consultants that have been reported on so far,
commented on the deals mentioned. Many left the inquiries
unanswered, others pointed to the confidentiality to which they were given
are contractually obliged.
There is one where people can get so much money so quickly
rough handling: defamation of competitors, defamation and also
spreading unfounded rumors are part of the tools of the trade. There are
Feuds among players' agents that raise the level of schoolyard brawls
have - mostly it is about the accusation of enrichment.
The Swiss consultant Giacomo Petralito has had many colleagues since
Years o ’to make a pact with Klaus Allofs, the former head of sports
from Werder Bremen and ex-managing director of VfL Wolfsburg. Petralitos
Reputation is badly battered, to say the least, and Allofs is believed to have been
given his long-term confidante unnecessary mediation requests.
Petralito protests against these accusations, as does Allofs. Still had
the VfL supervisory board Allofs prohibited the agents from the
Turn on Switzerland.
A contract now appears in the Football Leaks' records, the
Doubts about Allofs' business conduct feeds. The paper is from 27.
October 2009, when Allofs was still sports director at Werder Bremen. By doing
two-page agreement written in English, which also includes Allofs
has signed, the maximum amount at issue is 600,000 euros that the advisors of the
Brazilian Pro s Naldo received for his contract extension
should. Why actually "the consultants"?
Naldo moved to Bremen in the summer of 2005 and was his agent
his compatriot Paulo Fernando Tonietto. As Naldo in July 2012
finally went to VfL Wolfsburg was only the agent from Brazil
switched on. In the “Agreement of Fees” on Naldo's contract extension
in 2009, however, two more brokers emerge who contribute to the deal
should have contributed: a Serb and a Montenegrin, according to the
Document both "licensed consultants". Stranger still is that their company
Tumod Ventures Ltd is based in Road Town, the capital of

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Tortola, British Virgin Islands, no address, just one letter:

"Trident Chambers - PO box 146".
Why did Klaus Allofs sign such a paper? In whose pockets
landed the 450,000 euros, which the deal according to the contract Werder Bremen on
End cost, really? Have there been any kickbacks? Allofs himself
did not comment on this. Werder Bremen, faced with the facts,
had trouble reconstructing the processes and asked after two days
to »understanding that a corresponding research in the house as well
takes some time «. The next day it was said: no comment. Naldo's agent
Tonietto replied that one of the two advisors was at his request at the time
has been interposed - because of this "more remarkable
Expertise «. For him personally, according to Tonietto, everything is taxable
run correctly. To his "occasional partners," the agents of the
Of course, he could do the Balkans with the company in the British Virgin Islands
say nothing.
Hundreds of documents from the Football Leaks collection show: Who
with players' agents who use the address »Trident Chambers - PO
box 146 “in Road Town on the island of Tortola is very easy to do
with the underworld of football. Because exactly where Klaus Allofs'
Contract partners who have registered their advisors rma also conducts the
Paros Consulting Limited agency sent their letters - a darkroom
in the globalized world of football.
Paros Consulting has focused on brokering South American
Specialized in football pros, representing or representing stars such as James Rodríguez
from Real Madrid, Gonzalo Higuaín from Juventus Turin, Ángel Di María from
Paris Saint-Germain. However, the name of the company does not appear in any
Consultancy contract with a club. Sign in their place
Players' agents from Europe to whom Paros has secret contracts
Has transferred the right to negotiate.
The Paros straw men, mostly from the Netherlands, are working up
own name and own account. The lavish consultancy fee that the
Clubs pay after signing the contract, pays them first
Straw men. Only then do the accomplices divide up the booty. One
measly proportion, depending on the written agreement with the Paros

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Consulting is between five and 7.5 percent, keep the straw men
in Holland for himself. They transfer the remaining 90 percent to a
Paros Consulting account in Europe. One of Paros' house banks is located in
London, a second in Lisbon, a third in the Principality of Liechtenstein:
the Volksbank in the small town of Schaan.
What then happens to the millions who leave the year after year
international football business and in the coffers of the
Landing Paros Consulting is unclear: blackout and lack of transparency are
the business principle of these companies. One thing is clear: it is the perfect one
Way to turn gross as much as possible into net. The Paros henchmen
in the Netherlands they may give the tax authorities theirs
single-digit commission as sales. For free. The over 90 percent of the
Consultancy fees that you have passed on are obviously untaxed
on the Paros Consulting accounts in Europe.
As the key gures of Paros Consulting Ltd, that results from the
Documents, several South American businessmen step in
Appearance. One is obviously the players' agent Marcelo Simonian. The
Argentinian, who is based in Buenos Aires with his agency Dodici, is one
big number in his home country's football scene. Another
Paros actor is Omar Walter Crocitta, also from Argentina. The former
Pro footballer who rode for Paros as an agent and as a lawyer
signs, appears in the documents as the only owner of the in
Panama based agency Merham Limited. This company operated with
the same Dutch straw men.
The Paros Connection pays close attention to secrecy in its deals,
internal mails are almost exclusively encrypted. But now the network is
exposed. The football leaks data can be used to trace in detail,
with which henchmen the company came to its millions.

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An example of this is the case of the Colombian national player James

Rodríguez, the top scorer at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil
and has played for Real Madrid ever since. The year before, Rodríguez was for
45 million euros have been sold from FC Porto to AS Monaco. Back then
The Dutch player agency Orel BV o cially held ten percent
to his transfer rights. But Orel was just the facade of the deal
real owners of the ten percent were in the British Virgin Islands.
That was evident a few months after the Rodríguez transfer, when the Paros
Consulting demanded their share. The o shore company provided one
Invoice for EUR 4 121 185.13 to Orel, payable to a Paros account at
of the Volksbank in Liechtenstein. Purpose of payment: »Transaction Porto Futebol
Club - Orel BV connected to the football player J. Rodríguez «.
One of the bosses at Orel is the player agent Martijn Odems, he has
a license from the Royal Netherlands Football Association. Orel jumped
often when Paros Consulting agrees for their deals in Europe
Needed help: for example when changing the Argentine midfielder
Ricardo Álvarez joined Inter Milan in 2011, when he moved from Argentina
Pro s Fabián Rinaudo in 2014 to Catania Calcio or when changing the

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Argentinian Pro s Ezequiel Ponce 2015 for AS Roma. Scarcely

two million euros owed to Paros Consulting via Orel.
Odems also acted temporarily as the managing director of a company called
Kunse International NV, which is in the same building, even in the same
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The first floor was like his Orel agency. This Kunse company served one
other large businesses as a facade. It was about the Argentine
National player Ángel Di María, a superstar who won the World Cup in
Brazil was the most important man on the team alongside Lionel Messi.
Kunse signed a contract with Paros on August 18, 2014. Received
Kunse the right to Di María from Real Madrid to Manchester United
transfer - for a 7.5 percent share in the consultant fee. Some
Days later, the change was perfect. Manchester transferred on October 31st
2014 two million euros to Holland to Kunse. The straw men
retained 150,000 euros. The remaining 1.85 million for the Di-María-
Mediation owed silently to an account of Paros Consulting
of Bank Leumi in London.
The Argentine-Dutch connection has worked like this for years
a well-oiled money printing machine, the South American masterminds
comply according to the Football Leaks documents in and around Amsterdam
half a dozen player agent agencies as a facade. One of these
The front man was Marco Termes, a writer who worked near
Amsterdam is alive. He has written eight novels and short stories, three
Books of poetry and thousands of aphorisms.
At the end of 2008, when my writing wasn't going well, I switched
Termes the branch. A friend had spoken to him. Termes called
now director of two football consultancy agencies, one was at his
Registered private address, a social housing. They were sham rms. In
In truth, Termes only acted on the instructions of a trust. Then he og
equipped with contracts from South American players to southern Europe
Countersign the documents of club bosses - and made himself again
on the way to Holland.
He hardly has the prominent pros that Termes allegedly represented
seen. At the end of 2013 the man of letters got out of the bizarre parallel world again.
"I was a gold shit in a pool full of piranhas," Termez said

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Dutch newspaper "NRC Handelsblad", which is part of the EIC

Research network belongs and who tracked him down. Specific names and
However, he did not mention sums - they were "confidential" and he had
"Far too much said" anyway.
None of the Dutch companies that, according to the documents of
Football leaks with Paros Consulting triangular deals presumably over

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to European tax authorities, commented on these allegations.

Also Martijn Odems, the managing director of Orel BV and according to the
Documents of one of the most active straw men declined to comment.
From the Argentine Omar Walter Crocitta, who worked for Paros as
Authorized representative and that of the SPIEGEL in front of his private house in
the province of Buenos Aires an extensive catalog of questions on the
There was no answer either.
Only Marcelo Simonian responded. The man in dozens
encrypted emails in the Football Leaks data as one of the masterminds
appears in the deals with Paros Consulting. Paros? Never heard,
he claims. Him in connection with the suspicion of
Tax evasion and with this company in the British Virgin Islands too
it was "a scandal," he said on the phone. And Orel? Also never before
belongs. "I am the biggest taxpayer in the Argentine football world"
said Simonian, “I pay all my taxes. Pay for this one
Call? I am very poor because I have to pay all these taxes! "
The straw man principle with which Paros Consulting operates on its
European accounts earn tens of millions of consultants tax-free, läu
also so far so smoothly because the clubs play along in the game.
It is possible that the clubs cannot be blamed for anything, they have their fees on
Dutch agents referred the negotiations at the table
sat - and at first there is nothing in bank accounts in the Netherlands
Wrong. But an inkling that the money might end up in oshore
Some clubs already have financial centers. That goes from a mail
which the General Manager of Sevilla FC to the
Association lawyers judged.
The club was an o shore company through Dutch straw men
Player has been offered. The club boss wrote: “I like this thing

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not at all. "Because the company behind the Dutch resides" in

a tax haven «. He feared unpleasant questions that the
Spanish tax authorities on suspicion of money laundering
they should track the payment channels.
The club lawyer finally replied to the straw men’s lawyer, who
Sevilla FC feel »neither comfortable with it, nor can we make the payment
a Dutch company to a company in countries without tax
Accept transparency «. It is one of the few documents of the

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Decency - in thousands of documents of greed.

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CELEBRATE AND ASK

While John sleeps off, I'm sitting in our 9 a.m. 3 p.m.

Clock conference. I tell my colleagues about our new discoveries, the
many emails, the dubious tax practices of the players' agents, the
countless millions wandering around the globe.
Meanwhile we have the feeling that no matter what topic we are
Pick out which transfer or which business we are closer to
look, we always end up on at least one con ict of interest
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a compliance problem or simply a criminal act

bump. As long as everyone benefits from this favoritism, there is
Of course, no one to expose them either. Until John found a way
has to wrest its secrets from the industry.
On the second day of his stay in Hamburg, I met John in the evening
Gröninger, a rustic restaurant near the SPIEGEL house.
John wants to try German cuisine, and that means for many tourists
German cuisine for him: Bavarian food. Besides, today is Friday, him
then wants to see the Kiez, the Reeperbahn, the full board. We order
a huge platter of sausages, smoked pork, meat loaf and sauerkraut. John
takes photos. There is also beer in mugs. Sitting all around us
Asians, drunk, and bawling around.
“You asked me yesterday where I would see myself later.
In all honesty: I don't really care. This is the best time of mine
Life. I have never felt so alive, never experienced so much
like right now. Nobody can take that away from me, ”says John and toasts me
with the measure. An Asian slips off the chair next to him, John help him
high. Both talk to each other, but in two different ways
Languages. Finally, they hug. This guy really does
everywhere after a very short time, evening section companions, you believe him,
that he enjoys his life to the fullest.
We drink, eat, drink, eat and stumble out of the restaurant at the end.
“I'll tell you one thing right away: if you're doing a good job here, if

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Football leaks hits like we hope to, then you'll get it

further material. We have so much more, ”says John. Is he drunk
or is he serious?
“John, listen to me: if you still have stuff, that’s for us
Research could help, then you have to give it to us now. Otherwise have
we may be blind spots, do not understand some connections
conclusively or overlook the scope of certain issues because
we don't know all about it, ”I say. I am nervous and am straightening out
to the party brake. If the data is incomplete, we can do the
Not researching stories fully, not fully researching the readers
inform - and would make it easy for the other side to contact us
to threaten legal action.
"Take it easy, everything is easy," says John. “To the subjects that you

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edited, you have everything. But there are so many other players, advisors,
Officials, clubs that are criminals. You have no clue. "
John has one more ability that I find very fascinating: Even after
Four liters of beer he sober up suddenly as soon as his project comes up.
Then you neither notice him nor the alcohol, nor does he become reckless or
starts chatting. I calm down a little. We're going up in a taxi
the neighborhood.
With eyes wide open, John remains opposite the Davidwache
stand. He looks left and right, his mouth is slightly open, he
looks like a kid in a toy shop. “It doesn't look like it at all
Germany, ”he says. You have to know: It's the first time in
Germany. A prostitute waves to him; he tries on her
but I explain to him that there is a charge for every further step
and he should rather calm down. “And I thought, 'Wow, barely out of that
Take the taxi out and I'll be dug up here. 'But prostitution is
nothing for me, that's not my case, ”says John. He waves to the lady
Farewell to.
We go into the silver sack to get used to it. Old pub, quaint,
Traditional house. Two Astra, two short ones, a bit of chatting at the bar.
John tries with the barmaid, a woman in her late twenties with completely
tattooed cleavage to get into conversation. He asks her what's on there

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her breasts. Subtle is something else, but hey, he's succeeded with it.
She bends over, lets him look, he looks very intensely, next to us says
a guy: "May I too?" Welcome to the Reeperbahn. The level
doesn't get better as the evening progresses.
But John is clearly having fun. We say goodbye to Kassandra,
whose chest tattoos are "emotional maps and eyes of my soul"
should. I thought about it for a long time in the following weeks and
to this day I have no idea what she might have meant. John says he likes
People to think about for a while.
Sometimes he looks chubby, but he is a re ected, a sensitive and
attentive person. One who uses the party nights to be
To satisfy the need for adventure. To get to know strangers and
explore new perspectives on life. He is looking without
to know exactly what he wants to nd. The more time we spend together
the more I notice that John likes to play with people.
With his eloquence, his empathy, his intelligence he brings
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Interlocutor to open up, to confide in him. He seems

to enjoy it when people let him look inside.
It is interesting that he hardly knows anything about his own emotional world or
Biography reveals.
We move on. Great freedom, Ritze, Herbertstrasse, the John “really
too much «nd. Then we go to the smaller, funnier bars:
Rosi's, Clochard, Cobra, a lot about the Hamburger Berg, later that too
Jolly Roger, the favorite pub for FC St. Pauli fans. We kick and
dance, party until sunrise. I am totally exhausted.
We're standing in front of the hotel, one last cigarette, John says: "Me
such nights are important. When you're drunk I can see if I am
can trust you. "
"Do you doubt it?" I ask.
"Every day," says John. “But I also see how hard, how exactly you
is working. How secretive you are, how much you watch out that I am not
get in trouble unnecessarily. That makes it easier for me. "

Hero or blackmailer?

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So there he is: the man everyone is after, the police, them

Detectives. The man who is hunted by the biggest clubs
most powerful player agents. The man who constantly has to practice because of him
so many have to fear for fear for their money and their secrets. There
he sits, just like that, as a fan, in the main stand of the Hamburger
Volksparkstadion.
John is holding his five mug of beer in his right hand
Hamburger SV is just about to go under on the playing field, the
Guest fans sing: "Second division, Hamburg is there!" John laughs. the tickets
cost 75 euros each, main stand, pretty close to the field.
Disgustingly expensive. John seems like a normal fan here. He's closed
"Hamburg, my pearl" wavered, suffered every time HSV conceded.
I learn from him: If you go to the stadium as a neutral, you have to
always stick to the home team, because you are a guest in the city.
When the game is over, the fans of HSV whistle their team.
John gets up, takes another sip of beer. Amused enough. It's time,
to go back to work. We're going back to the editorial office. John
sits down at a workstation in the data room with a computer in front of him
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with two screens, next to him another laptop. He wants me in the

Documents show something else about a Maltese company, and he is
also one more thing about a player agent and that
Tax-saving models came up. Documents whiz across the screens
John bobs his legs, his pupils bounce up, down, up,
down, he can't see anything around him now, only the names,
Numbers, addresses in the data jungle.
It is our last evening together in Hamburg. So far I have
avoided, but I have no other choice: I have to deal with the
Confront blackmail allegations that we found in the data and
discussed with the EIC team in Lisbon. Meanwhile I have
I looked carefully at the relevant emails again and,
honestly, it doesn't look too good for him. Not a pleasant one
subject.
The story goes back almost a year now. A few days
after the Football Leaks homepage went online and the first contracts

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had published on the business of the Doyen company, the reimbursed

Sports marketer advert to the Lisbon police. That goes out of one
Change of mail in the data. But it didn't stop there. Multiple companies
were set on football leaks: IT specialists, well-known
Law firms, detectives. Real pros, tough and ruthless when there is
is about achieving their goals. One of the crisis managers was
CEO of a seedy Russian oligarch. One of
Detective is a graduate of the United Kingdom Military Academy
and served in Iraq and Afghanistan. They put the operators of the
Football Leaks homepage under pressure for weeks and months.
The revelers were then shut down several times.
John had been telling all of this for weeks. It was the time he was before
panic almost went mad. I was never real back then
sure, maybe he wasn't exaggerating a little. But he was right
his worries were well founded. But what he never talked about is this
others, the dark side of Football Leaks. There are emails from which we get them
now reconstruct.
It starts on October 3, 2015, just five days after the project
went online. Nélio Lucas, the sports director of the football marketer Doyen
young, smart, morally exible Portuguese, receives an email.

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Sender: a certain Artem Lobuzov. The email address can be

Be a pseudonym. The only thing that is clear is that it was set up at Yandex,
a Russian provider that Football Leaks also uses.
This Lobuzov describes in his mail which documents he received
present: sometimes unsavory stuff, photos, short messages, emails. "All this
could go online soon and will be in the European press afterwards
land «, writes Lobuzov. “You'd be unhappy if that were
would happen right? But we can speak ... "
Nélio Lucas has an inkling of what could be rolling towards him and Doyen.
Power people like Lucas are not used to being under pressure
puts. They want to be in control, their secrets, you
Herrscha swissen. And so Lucas does what he can: He wants with him
Deal with strangers. Lobuzov steps in and answers on October 5th
2015: For a sum between 500,000 and one million euros, he could

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imagine doing business with Lucas, »and the information that I have
have to be eliminated «. Lobuzov suggests that “we just do that and
solve safely, preferably between our lawyers «.
Lobuzov's lawyer is Aníbal Pinto, he is now supposed to continue the talks
to lead. Pinto comes from Porto, a rather small number, no
Portuguese star lawyer. And this Nobody should now with the big ones
Negotiating the football industry.
At the end of October there should be a meeting between Lucas, his lawyer and
Pinto at a gas station in Lisbon. Lucas is supposed to be with Pinto
have made a proposal to the meeting, a doyen writes it
Manager in a mail: Lobuzov should supposedly 300,000 euros
to stop the leaks. The story of the meeting between
Lucas, his lawyer and Pinto can be seen from the emails of the data treasure
reconstruct further: The three men adjourn after their meeting,
it will be two more weeks before Lucas finds out what Lobuzov is
thinks of his suggestion.
But who is Lobuzov? One of John's comrades-in-arms? Does John know him
personally? Or is it even John himself? Should be his project
do not serve to provide public information, but only to begin with
his account?
John snorts, he's been sitting in the data room with me for almost five hours now.
His cheeks are flushed, he keeps rubbing his eyes. His
He has now taken off his shoes and has one of his socks on his heel
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a big hole. You can see that the otherwise cool online
Revealing this issue is extremely annoying. Before answering, he stares
for minutes on the screen in front of you, scratching yourself in between
the beard several times: “We always said we weren't hackers.
We have a very good network and our sources provide us with them
Data. The allegations that we blackmailed someone are total
ridiculous. They are allegations made by a criminal organization
a real Ma a organization, come. Nothing else is doyen for
us. ”There was nothing more to say for him. Point.
One note is important at this point: John never has
Receive money from the EIC for their data.

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We later also confront Doyen with the blackmail story. A

Speaker reacts quite indignantly and states that “the information
totally wrong and manipulated «that the agency is against the
Legal defense against publications. Which of the questions on
should indicate manipulated documents? The speaker does not do that
out. Even months later, the doyen attorneys do not see this passage
be reminded.
We also asked the other parties involved how they feel about this
Remembering blackmail attempt: Aníbal Pinto declares that he has
Lobuzov did not help blackmail Lucas. He is only a middleman
beau has been asked to make a deal with another attorney
complete. But when he noticed at the first meeting that it was
go to this business about a possible blackmail, he had the
Negotiations ended. According to Pinto, he subsequently had his client
informed about the legal consequences and advised him to do so
To voluntarily end blackmail attempt. Lobuzov leaves the request
unanswered.
What should we believe now? For journalists, the exchange with
Whistleblowers like John almost always question themselves: Has
the data material is so relevant that the personal motives that
Biography, possibly even a source's criminal past
be allowed to take a back seat? Do the documents show a grievance?
who would otherwise remain hidden? Whistleblowers become too
Whistleblowers because they are willing to go beyond borders; sometimes
it is the limits of propriety and morality, sometimes also those of the
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Law book. That makes them, even with their weaknesses in character, ooh
Heroes, rarely saints.
We will decide to do this later, even without final clarification
publish the stories from the data set after this incident. The
Material is real and the content of the data is highly relevant
worth telling. You expose a soccer industry that is in control of you
has lost himself. The public has to find out, it is ours
Task of providing such an explanation.
Another reason why we are now publishing the material: The

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Attempt by Artem Lobuzov, this great stranger with the

unsavory documents, went into business with doyen representative Lucas
to come ended in nowhere. It didn't eat money, Lobuzov refused
Offer from. The reasons for this are not entirely clear . Possibly got
Lobuzov got cold feet or a falling out with his lawyer
Pinto. Imaginable. But most likely another explanation is
also to be found in a mail traffic in the data of Football Leaks:
The police overheard the meeting between Lucas, his lawyer, and Pinto
not only with, she also recorded the conversation.
Lobuzov might find out about it later, or at least he got out of it
Deal out. "Keep your money, you'll still need it," he wrote to Lucas
and probably meant: for lawyers. Lucas responded the way you would
knows more from males: “I won't threaten you with a beating, though
You deserved it. We are not bandits! We are people with
Character and principles. Your lesson will be another, and so will they
will hurt more! !! ! «

KEEP CALM

Final phase. We reporters write the confrontation arcs, hundreds

Questions that are then answered by our documentation journalists
Facts and plausibility are checked before our lawyers finally
Weigh each word again and give us comments as we do
should ask our questions even more binding, clearer.
Now it's about our craft, everything has to be right. Because who in this
If the research stage is sloppy or inattentive, this jeopardizes
entire project. Any incorrectly or inadequately asked question can

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Provide gateways for later lawsuits and our credibility

endanger. The lawyers and PR strategists on the other side are waiting for this.
Within the EIC, we send our questions to each other and check
the contents provide us with the contact addresses of the other side. We have
worked hard and hope we have been careful enough.
Send! The mails, letters, faxes with the questionnaires and requests for
All EIC partners send their opinion on the same day, on the same day

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Time. We also phone the recipients afterwards and

try to find out whether our inquiries have reached them. No later than
now the football world knows what we've been working on for months. For us it means
well: wait and hope that nothing will leak out, that no
Judgment puts obstacles in the way that we can publish according to plan.
One of our partners will get in touch the same evening. His publisher
got a text message from one of the lawyers we faced
to get. It's about the Ronaldo story. The SMS only says: »Call
on me! ”From now on that is the tone in which we are met. It will
nine very long days.
The next morning, a PR man from a player's agent gets in touch. At
Real Madrid are nervous, he says. What are we going to do?
Something to do with Ronaldo, he heard. Rumors spread in football
faster than a wildfire.
John answers in the evening. He writes that there is panic in the
Soccer world. Lawyers and PR firms would be hired. Troubleshooter,
to catch us. He knows that from his sources. It is serious.
Another eight days.
John vacillates between anticipation and nervousness. He writes that he wants
that the world is finally about all the dirty business, from all the mad
The buzz and moral failures of the football industry. But
he also begins to doubt again. In an email he wrote: “But what
happens to us afterwards? They will look for us and destroy us
want."
Destroy. Just like Nélio Lucas, the doyen man, in his emails
put it, John doesn't seem wrong in his assumption. The
The pressure on John and his potential partners will be huge. To
Our publications are not just about private detectives, tough guys
from the underworld and the police after the football leaks makers
but also tabloid journalists from all over the world.
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"We'll have to go completely underground for a few days," writes

John.
Only five days left.
We get the first answers to our inquiries. One of

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Attorneys working on the o shore construction for Ronaldo's Image Rights

Companies has worked rejects all of our allegations. We can
read that he was in black and white in the emails from the Football Leaks data
Had knowledge of Ronaldo's tax-minimizing tricks, even after advice
was asked, but he still denies everything. He would at the end of his
In the reply, mention that he wasn't even Cristiano Ronaldo
know, it would no longer surprise us.
But so function the Deception maneuvers and
Displacement mechanisms in football. We remember
Christoph Daum and his "absolutely clear conscience" while he was full
with cocaine. Or to Wolfgang Niersbach, the former DFB President,
who suddenly couldn't remember his own handwriting.
Coincidentally, this handwriting was on a document, the one
dubious 6.7 million euro payment before the 2006 world championship
occupied. Not to mention Joseph Blatter, the former Fifa boss,
whose entire career was based on tricking and deceiving. Or João
Havelange. Or Michel Platini. Or, or, or.
And even the Ronaldo lawyer is only given his dissuasive answer
of little use. Our written records are too good thanks to Football Leaks.
Four days left.
John writes that he wants it to be December 2nd at last. He wants,
that his data finally reached the world. That there is no turning back
give. This tension drives him crazy. He now knows, he writes,
that they will be looking for him again. That the Portuguese police under
Pressure will be put on him to finally find an IT specialist
had been switched on, who now completed him with special so ware
should do. With some sort of search detector that scans the football leaks
Homepage should enable conclusions to be drawn about the creators of the page.
The game of cat and mouse starts again. John says he still did
a head start. But he would like the world to be above all of that now
Talk about dirt in football instead of about it.
Still three days.
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Once again it is confirmed that in the football industry everyone is under one
Peg the blanket. We notice that our questions of confrontation between the

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Players, clubs and officials as well as their lawyers and PR teams

be sent back and forth. They exchange ideas, they coordinate, they
work on strategies to defuse our stories. We notice
This is mainly due to the fact that many of the answers are from different ones
People come, but the statements are almost to the point and comma
same.
Usually the answers are given directly by the lawyers of the
Sent opposite side. They contain four central points. First: That
Material was stolen. Second: The material is fake. Third, that
Material is an attack on privacy, so there is none
Comment. Fourth, should we publish the material anyway,
we were threatened with legal action. Everything as expected. Most of ours
Accordingly, questions remain unanswered.
Some of our partners are contacted because a functionary or
Sports marketer would like a background conversation before giving us the
I want to answer questions. This is a problematic request. We are finished
us in a justiciable phase, and background discussions are useful here
only a little. We can, so are the rules for this kind of conversation,
do not quote anything from it. But the other side can tell us a story here
outside, with which she can gain time and which for us in the end, etc.
is hardly verifiable. We answer as diplomatically as possible: Please first
answer our questions in writing, then we could gladly again
talk about classifications on this basis. Instantly
The wishes for background discussions fall silent.
Two days left.
State of emergency. It is shortly before 7 p.m. when we got a call from our
Partners from Portugal reached: »We know that our questions to a
other newspapers were put through. Our Ronaldo story is supposed to
be published tomorrow, ”says one of our EIC colleagues. Where the
Story should appear? No idea. What is their core? Anything to
Ronaldo.
This is still pretty vague, but even this information is enough
off to really tighten our already thin nerves
wear out. We gather in the data room and think about what we can do

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should start with these guidelines. The phone rings, Spanish

Prefix. Our colleagues have received a tip that tomorrow should be one
large Ronaldo report on the online platform "El Con dencial"
appear. It's about o shore companies. This is our story.
Silence. We look at each other in amazement. Can this be? 48 hours before
if we want to publish our major research, it should be elsewhere
appear? We are frozen. Somebody suggests us right away
hold a conference with all EIC partners. Stefan Candea, ours
Coordinator, initiate a meeting on our internal platform.
Call from Portugal. Our partner says he has an informant who
had reported to him that "El Con dencial" wanted to bring exactly our story.
You had been told by the Ronaldo side that the article should “us
shoot down".
In our data room we talk wildly, sometimes in disrepair
we in perfect silence. That is the worst case. For months we have
worked on these revelations and now we feel like we want us
steal someone's reward for our toil. But maybe this is it
even just a smoke candle? Maybe it's just a deliberate spread
Rumors?
Also take part in the conference with our EIC partners
Editor-in-chief Klaus Brinkbäumer and his deputy Alfred Weinzierl took part. Would have
there is one last sign that the situation is real
is serious, voilá, the two deliver it. We let our colleagues off
Spanish newspaper »El Mundo« and our partners from the Portuguese
Put back what you have heard on the "Expresso" sheet. The
Information is still sparse. But both say independently
from each other, "El Con dencial" will be a Ronaldo story tomorrow
who deal with the superstar's corporate history.
How should we handle this? It's getting loud in our conference management.
Some of the partners claim we should have all of our stories on
bring the coming morning. "Get everything out online," shouts a colleague.
Another says we should just write an announcement that the EIC
prepare a big football leaks story for the coming weekend.
Our network consists of web media, newspapers and magazines.

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We worked for weeks to find an acceptable one for all partners

Find orchestration with which they can make their own effort and dedication
Seeing it was appreciated even when it was published, it felt like it took half an hour
Eternity until we have discussed all eventualities and among each other
had agreed which story should appear and when. If we
If you had to go online within twelve hours now, it would be chaotic
we might also make mistakes that
The effectiveness of our collective would be lost. We try
take a deep breath. Don't panic now, get one for it
clear head, please.
What should such a launched Ronaldo story actually look like,
that could make him appear in a good light? We play them
Arguments of the PR strategists through. Ronaldo has way more than that
hundred million euros with the help of a tax-saving model through the British
Virgin Islands funneled. How is a spin doctor supposed to twist this allegation
can? How could he reveal a well-kept secret and turn it into a
convert positive story? None of us have answers to this
Ask.
Instead, the discussion continues to spin in circles. The fear that we
tomorrow morning could stand there without anything that work the last
Months could have been in vain is noticeable in everyone. The EIC
Coordinator Stefan Candea says he wants SPIEGEL to decide how
we should proceed. After all, SPIEGEL received the data set.
We decide that we are at our original
Publication plan remain. We take full risks, all at once
Map.
We write to John that there are problems. That our Ronaldo-
Story tomorrow may be shot down by "El Con dencial"
could. That we look at history and possibly look at it
would have to react. His answer is short: "Good luck". Even that
Whistleblowers obviously have no words.
We leave the editorial office shortly before midnight. "El Con dencial"
usually puts his articles up between three and five in the morning
his homepage. We want to at least take a shower beforehand and

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Page 233

maybe close your eyes for a few more minutes.

Another day.
"El Con dencial" appears shortly after three o'clock. Ronaldo is big on
To see lead. The word "tax haven" appears in the marker
on. Nicola Naber speaks Spanish very well. She is still translating the text into
the night and send it to us by email. Before their version arrives, has
John already wrote: “Don't panic, this part is poor. There is nothing there
inside. "
Nicolas' translation proves this. "El Con dencial" is a crude one
History. It's all about Ronaldo's promotional business, the two
Companies settle for him through the tax haven of Ireland, the British Virgin
Iceland is not mentioned at all. It's less than half that
Truth. But the text is enough for Ronaldo's advisors to claim rma
can, Ronaldo has no tax problems, he is completely in line with
the tax office.
If the football industry wants to deceive the public, it will nd it
almost always a way. She can lull the media, deal with them,
Circulate quotes, place stories. But this time it will only
little help. The story of Ronaldo that gave us Football Leaks
can no longer be shot.
Friday 2nd December 2016.
We worked towards this day for months, for weeks
given a structure. We have agreements with SPIEGEL ONLINE, with
SPIEGEL Digital, the social media team, with Kicker TV and SPIEGEL
TV hit, at 10 p.m. we will have our revelations in »today
journal «from ZDF. In the past few weeks we have
more and more employees are privy to our research, they have with
tinkered with football leaks on different platforms
becomes visible and thereby reaches the largest possible audience. It is
meanwhile it has become a mammoth project, in terms of content, but also
organizational.
At 9 p.m. we are all standing together on the 13th floor of the SPIEGEL-
Building. The SPIEGEL ONLINE newsroom is located here. We
have agreed that all EIC partners will have their

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Publish stories.
We push the button. Football Leaks is in the world.
John writes to us just seconds after the Ronaldo story
online is: »This is the most important day of my life. I am positive
that football will be better after these releases
becomes."

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EPILOGUE

It is bitterly cold, almost fifteen degrees below zero, rough wind, snow. The
Winter in Eastern Europe is hard, John still wears his thin leather jacket,
just like a year ago when we met him. Well, im
February 2017, let's meet again. More than two months after ours
We want to draw an interim conclusion and with it
talk about the echo of Football Leaks. About the consequences.
Our job, our goal is in all major investigative research
the same: we want to clarify. We want to get closer to the truth, like this
close how to do it. We want to "say what is" like the SPIEGEL founder
Rudolf Augstein put it. That sounds very simple, but it is
difficult. The brilliant data collection from Football Leaks gave us the
unique opportunity to illuminate a parallel world that
behind a gleaming facade thought completely unobserved. This is
our contribution that we can make: the excesses of the football industry
to describe the criminal energy that is in it and that it awakens,
their susceptibility to tax evasion, enrichment and embezzlement;
showing off the rotten system, ills like global trade
detect with underage talents; but also the megalomania of the
To dissect milieus, the audacity of corrupt club sponsors and
politically well-networked association officials.
What happens to revelations like these is another question. Can you
help to draw bribes and bribes to the arithmetic point of view?
Can they put a stop to the child traffickers? Can you do that
Forcing associations to have an even more dense control system for
Cash flows of all kinds for player transfers and consultant fees
introduce and sanction rule violations much harder? Can
they give all the pros of dirty money a hunch
could they be the neighbors lying on the ground? And they can
People who love this game, at least open their eyes a little?
Or is it naive to believe that more transparency would mean that to so many

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Make corrupt soccer business in some way and impress

Could football fans rethink? Because everyone of it anyway
assumes that this billion dollar business is a large self-service market
is?
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When John thinks about these questions, it turns out to be outside

cold, we're going to a bakery. He orders a steaming loaf of bread, in
the center of which has a hole filled with processed cheese. There are also sausages for meat.
De ige cuisine against the cold.
"Should I be honest?" Asks John. "I am frustrated. I wonder if
it was all really worth it. The stress, the risk, the many
Efforts and fears. The football world is briefly startled, that
Yes, but now everything is going back to the way it used to be. It has nothing
changed."
He pulls a few documents from inside his jacket and folds them
on the table. They are contracts, Nélio Lucas' name is bold
printed. The manager, whose company Doyen Sports the Dutch
Klub Twente Enschede almost condemned it to second class
cooperates with dubious Kazakh businessmen and to
whose business practices evidently include the use of prostitutes
heard, sits, you can read that in the document, continues with the
The mighty of world football at the negotiating tables. And closes the
next million contracts.
Only this time he uses a different company. Doyen Sports is diving
at least not in the documents that John is straightening out
on. Inter Milan, the top Italian club, closed the end instead
November 2016 signed a contract with Vela Management Limited. Represents
this company, which is registered in the European tax haven Malta,
by Nélio Lucas. The Portuguese does not act as an investor this time,
but as an ordinary player advisor. He should make sure that the
Croatian midfielder Marcelo Brozović signed his contract with Inter
extended.
"How can that be? We have been describing them for almost a year and a half
Practices of Nélio Lucas. Everyone can read that his wellbeing is his
Player not interested at all. Whether they have a successful career

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complete whether they are making the right sporting decisions, whether they
Becoming happy - Nélio and his people don't care at all, as long as they do
your return is right. And the money they get for their deals
seeps into tax havens. Why do players, consultants, clubs and
Associations still with him? Why are such people not dating
pulled into traffic? What are the police doing? ”Asks John.

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He puts another document on the table. On December 14, 2016,

in the middle of the wave of Football Leaks releases, the
Company Vela Management Limited one million euros from Inter Milan,
paid to Vermögens- und Privatbank Aktiengesellschaft in
Liechtenstein, another million for Lucas will be until May 31, 2017
Due - Brozović had extended his contract until 2021.
“He doesn't care at all if a few journalists are over
write him and his business. He just keeps going. And the
Football lets him go on, it's really like the Ma a «,
says John, but much too loudly. A man we look over the edge of his
Newspaper an interested look.
"I'm so mad," John murmurs in a distinctly subdued tone.
The Football Leaks revelations can be viewed from multiple angles
watch. They made big waves, caused a lot of discussions,
are recorded and commented on by other media around the world
been. For example, the »Süddeutsche Zeitung« wrote: »Those who
those who celebrate their heroes celebrate an elite, because in terms of salary and also
In terms of habit, pro footballers are the most elitist elite. How elitist have just got
the Football Leaks research was shown. A clique of greedy necks is in
Pro football gathered their wealth even with dirty tricks
more. ”Elsewhere it says:“ At the top, in the pro area, is the
Soccer spoiled. Calculated human trafficking, flaunted
Wealth; the business eats funds from social budgets. "
If the football business were an industry that adheres to the rules well
Corporate management has committed to such devastating judgments
shake them. But hardly any of the decision-makers in this milieu
sets itself moral and ethical limits. It is primarily about
Keeping competitors small and outdoing yourself gives yourself an advantage

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grant, even if people are used to do so, the right bent or

Laws are circumvented.
Outwardly, the reaction of the football industry to the football leaks
Publications: silence. Hardly any club boss, player, advisor or
Association official commented on the revelations. Internal prevailed in
the scene, on the other hand, gave a hint of panic. The main question that arises
The bosses of the European leagues and clubs were not what
dirty business came to the public through football leaks

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were.
CouldNo: The
reach themost important
public. question
It was all for them was how to apply all of this to them
about that
to close a possible leak - and to expose the source.
On December 19, 2016, a good two weeks after the start of the football
Leaks releases, wrote Premier League bosses, the
Bundesliga and the Spanish Primera División a joint letter
to Fifa. You spoke to the FIFA chief Marco Villiger
suspected that the association's transfer matching system
(TMS) could be the leak. To corruption, kickback
Deals and illegal agreements in international transfers
To prevent this, Fifa collects and records in this strictly secured file
For almost ten years all the information that the clubs have on their
Must deliver transactions with obligation: transfer agreements,
Employment contracts, fee agreements with player agents.
A similar fire letter to the "dear Marco" had already been sent on 13.
December addressed the European Club Association, an association
of the most important clubs in Europe. Here, too, the club lobbyists expressed their opinion
the suspicion that the TMS system might have been hacked - and they
demanded unmistakable information from Villiger about how Fifa
would protect itself from possible attacks.
The Fifa Che urist forbade the accusation that the explosive
Information from the ranks of the world association leaked out
be. He highlighted the numerous security devices with which
Fifa would have provided the sensitive and confidential TMS information:
no direct connection to the internet, regular password renewal
for all users, mandatory introduction of a watermark since July

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2016 on every Fifa document. No contract, that of SPIEGEL and his

Research partners have been published in the facsimile, wear one
Identifier, emphasized Villiger. He wrote to the top European clubs
Top FIFA official that Football Leaks himself on his homepage
highlighted not having hacked anyone.
Loss of control, unwanted insights, persistent inquiries
and publications on disreputable businesses are the last thing they do
Football industry needs. That also became the most important one at one meeting
European club bosses on January 30, 2017 in the Munich luxury hotel
Hilton Airport clearly. The bosses also belonged to the small group of guests
by Bayern Munich, Juventus Turin, FC Barcelona, Manchester
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United and Paris Saint-Germain.

Football Leaks was also on the agenda. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge,
the chairman of the elite club association, took the floor and raised it
Damage to the atmosphere in the changing rooms «that the
Football Leaks releases - as if the biggest
The problem is that the FC Bayern players now know which of them and how
earned a lot. Rummenigge, that's from the minutes of this meeting
urged the bosses of the other clubs to "act". The
President of Olympique Lyon endorsed him. More important than all of them
to check possible data leaks, be it "the source of the leaks"
to find out. To turn off the messenger to get the message out of the world
to clear - that is the classic re ex of systems whose
Strategies for maintaining power by anonymous third parties made public and in
Question to be asked.
It is surprising that the associations and clubs that represent their interests
endangered by the Football Leaks releases, of all things
suspect Fifa as a leak. John had in SPIEGEL after all
offered to make documents available to the world association that
Evidence of dirty deals on player transfers or TPO agreements
would. But Fifa did not respond to this offer. It seemed like
the world association would not have the slightest interest in clarification.
After all, Gianni Infantino, the new president, settled in mid-December
the Fifa, to a discussion with representatives of the EIC. The interview should

Page 240

handle the big questions raised by the football leaks

Reporting had been raised: credibility,
Transparency, control of player agents and money ows.
The clearer the interview, the greater the gain in knowledge
Interlocutor makes his demeanor. Infantino didn't have any. Still was
the interview is worth publishing, because Infantino's phrases,
his evasion, his maneuvering showed that nothing can be expected from Fifa
is when you ho that the swamp in the industry is being drained. At
The Swiss lost almost every question in the rough. He must
"Think about", he must "look at it", he must "discuss" it,
and in general, the world association gets involved in the issues, the football leaks
push against its limits. "We're not a law enforcement agency," said
Infantino. It sounded like surrender.

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“If Football Leaks showed one thing, it was football

urgently needs help. That he can't help himself, but that
the police, the tax investigators, but above all politics help him
have to, ”says John.
That is why he was interested in seeing top politicians across Europe
the Football Leaks became aware, and in particular the
Denounced tax tricks. Federal Minister of Finance Wolfgang Schäuble
announced that it would take even tougher action against tax havens in the future
Britain asked Labor MP Meg Hillier one
Investigation of the revelations, in Spain demanded the socialist
Party a full investigation against the head of the tax authority
and against Finance Minister Cristóbal Montoro, which also any
“Negotiations” with those a ected like Cristiano Ronaldo or José
Mourinho should include. Sven Giegold put it most effectively,
the nanz and economic policy spokesman for the Greens in Europe
Parliament: »The data leak is a red card for soccer millionaires.
Income that follows from athletic achievements must be in the country
are taxed where the pro is active. The tax avoidance of the
Football stars is a gross foul play against the common good. With their tax tricks
the soccer millionaires harm the people who are playing them in the stadium
to cheer. The footballers fail to do something socially damaging

Page 241

Behavior by far is a role model for many young people. "

Giegold also announced that the Football Leaks in an EU
Committee of inquiry should be worked up.
“As much as I am about how the football industry deals with the
Publications upset, I'm so excited that politics
sees the problems and wants to take action, ”says John. His dates
have made it clear that tax havens and letters rmen the
The lack of transparency of global money ows and the lack of holes in EU law
every super-rich, whether his money is in football or in another
Industry deserves to be given the chance, at the expense of the general public
to get richer. The explosiveness of these revelations therefore goes far beyond
the football out. It concerns everyone.
“That is exactly what we wanted discussions to be. But best of all
the Football Leaks releases was: Eight European
Tax authorities have written to us. You have read the texts and
now want our help to prosecute the tax evaders. We will
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support them in this, ”says John.

Apparently the judiciary can do a lot with John's material.
French and English tax authorities already have procedures in place
Opened against several footballers and in some cases also their advisors. The
German and Dutch tax authorities also found
already approaches for further investigations. The Spanish investigators are investigating
also currently against numerous pro footballers, including Cristiano Ronaldos
Books are checked again. Such procedures can, however
Last months, sometimes even years.
“It's a little crazy: On the one hand, half of Europe is searching
the basis of our data about the criminals in the football industry,
on the other hand at least three police authorities are looking for us,
because they think we're hackers, "says John. He pokes at the remains of the
chilled loaf of bread around, his forehead wrinkled, John's thoughts
seem to be wearing off. “No, I got nonsense at the beginning of our meeting
tells. Of course it was all worth it. It was the best, the most exciting
Time of my life, and the bottom line is that we have achieved a lot. But the
Football must continue to be pressured to understand that it is

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Otherwise with all this lack of transparency and the many frauds
kills himself someday, ”says John.
Does that mean he'll keep going? And what about his colleagues?
“Football Leaks isn't over yet. On the contrary. While you with
have worked on our material, we have obtained new data. There are
several terabytes, a bigger mountain than the one we last gave you
to have. It's hot stuff and it's about other pros than the ones
previous dates. We want this material to be made public too, and
The football industry finally understood that the law and morals apply to them too
be valid."
John says one of the hard drives has already been prepared.
We could take them with us today.

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Page 243

THANKSGIVING

This book would never be without the help, knowledge, and support
numerous colleagues. they have themselves
rushed into work, they navigated us through the data ut, they did
drilled and searched until they found answers. Sometimes it was
Looking tough, mostly it was electrifying. The most important finding: Such
a project is teamwork.
We have hundreds of hours with our wonderful SPIEGEL team
in the data room, on the editorial offices, on research trips and on
Phone spent. Jürgen Dahlkamp, Christoph Henrichs, Udo Ludwig and
Jörg Schmitt have it with their commitment, their tenacity and theirs
Curiosity makes it possible to create a large picture out of many pieces of the puzzle
could arise.
Without our IT boss Stephan He ner, we would be in a mess
Documents drowned. His commitment, his technical understanding, his
Patience - especially with our ignorance - was and is
priceless.

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Documentary journalists Nicola Naber and Andreas Meyho

have not only saved us from many mistakes, they also have - in part
all night long - countless hours of research put into this project and us
so impressed again and again. Their love of facts, their obsession with details,
It was their constant critical questioning that made it possible for us
To understand the connections between these many companies and money. Kurt
Jansson supported us especially on the technical side, through him
we found a structure with which to search the data. A
Many thanks to the head of the documentation department, Hauke Janssen,
who made it possible for us to work with such great colleagues
to work together.
We would like to thank Gerhard Pfeil, our colleague as head of department
Supported research right from the start.
By Roman Lehberger, omas Heise, Hendrik Vöhringer, David Walden

Page 244

and Jochen Blum we were able to learn a lot about how difficult
the work of filmmakers is complicated and exhausting. The
The SPIEGEL TV team has traveled halfway around the world with us and has ours
Research not only supported with the camera, but us
especially with clever ideas and the inconclusive invitation to
Constantly re-evaluating all of our results made a little better.
The crews from SPIEGEL ONLINE and SPIEGEL Digital around Peter
Ahrens, Jule Lutteroth, Frauke Böger, Mike Glindmeier, Christian Gödecke,
Jörn Sucher, Ayla Mayer, Torsten Beeck, Heike Janssen, Jens Radü, Olaf
Heuser and Roman Höfner spent weeks researching
kneeling in and new formats, forms of visualization and explanatory pieces
Developed. Without their commitment, we would never have such a complex one
and to be able to share complicated topics with so many readers.
Our lawyers Jan Siegel, Uwe Jürgens, Sascha Sajuntz and Oliver
We thank Srocke infinitely for all the trust they have shown in our research
and for her backbone. Even if there was a lot of legal opposition,
we knew that we would never be alone with this project.
We would like to thank Heike Drinkuth, who never fails even in times of greatest stress
Lost overview and always had a smile for us.
Without the great, never tired, always friendly support
by Martina Hasch, Kirsten Beitz, Gordon Bersch, Frauke Ernesti and
Agnes Ruckdäschel from the SPIEGEL travel agency, if we had the many
Never undertake research trips to the remotest places in the world
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5/10/2021 Untitled

can.
Angelika Mette, Antje Wallasch and Karen Guddas from SPIEGEL-Verlag
and we thank the DVA for their ideas in the conception of this book,
the professional editing and the many encouraging words.
The SPIEGEL editor-in-chief, especially Klaus Brinkbäumer and
Alfred Weinzierl, we thank you for letting us do this mammoth project
Have been released for months and believed until the end that
all the effort would be worth it. We owe thanks in the name
the entire editorial team also our managing director omas Hass and
Publishing director Jesper Doub, who together with our editor-in-chief in for
the house unwaveringly difficult economic times tens of thousands of euros

Page 245

have invested in the Intella data processing system. This decision

will prove to be a blessing for much future research.

Our partners from the European Investigativ research network

Collaborations have us with their research, sources, thoughts about
brought to the finish line. You have every document, every email, every contract
Illuminated from all possible perspectives in order to keep the truth one
to move a little closer.

The EIC colleagues and their employers are:

»El Mundo« / Spain: Paula Guisado, Javier Sánchez, Quico Alsedo,

Pablo Herraiz, Pablo Medina, Alberto Hernández
»Expresso« / Portugal: Pedro Candeias, Miguel Prado, Raquel
Albuquerque
»Falter« / Austria: Lukas Matzinger
»L'Espresso« / Italy: Vittorio Malagutti, Stefano Vergine
»Le Soir« / Belgium: Alain Lallemand, Joel Matriche, Stephane Vande
Velde, Xavier De Cock
»Mediapart« / France: Michaël Hajdenberg, Michel Henry,
Donatien Huet, Martine Orange, Yann Philippin, Nicolas Barthe-
Dejean
»NewsWeek« / Serbia: Milorad Ivanovic, Blaž Zgaga
»NRC Handelsblad« / Netherlands: Hanneke Chin, Hugo Logtenberg,
Merijn Rengers, Esther Rosenberg
»Politiken« / Denmark: Jakob Sorgenfri Kjær, Jeppe Laursen Brock,
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5/10/2021 Untitled

Frederik Storm
"Romanian Center for Investigative Journalism / e Black Sea" /
Romania: Michael Bird, Zeynep Sentek, Craig Shaw, Vlad Odobescu,
Costin Stucan, Alex Morega, Gabriel Vijiala, Dan Achim, Raluca
Ciubotaru, Drago ș Catarahia, Victor Avasiloaei
"E Sunday Times" / England: Jonathan Calvert, George Arbuthnott,
David Collins
Special thanks go to the EIC coordinator Stefan Candea,
the sack full of fleas at any time with the greatest charm and

Page 246

steadfast diplomacy under control.

We thank our wives Sonja Buschmann and Brigitte Wulzinger

for their love, their strength and that they can endure our madness.

But the biggest thanks go to our whistleblower John, the man

without which all of this would never have been possible. Take care.

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Page 247

REGISTER

A A Ponte Preta
Abramovich, Roman
AC Milan
Adidas International Marketing BV
Adidas
A ermath Limited
Agencia Tributaria
Aguero, Sergio
Aktyubinsk Chromium Chemicals Plant (ACCP)
Alaba, David
Alcantara, iago
Alfa bank
Ali, Malik
Alianza Lima
Alibaba Group Holding Limited
Alik
al-Jazira Club
Al-Khelai, Nasser
Allofs, Klaus
Alonso, Xabi
Álvarez, Ricardo
Amazon
Ancelotti, Carlo
Apollon Limassol
Apple
Arif, Arif
Arif, Ayla
Arif, Re k
Arif, Tev k
Armstrong, Lance
As (Spanish newspaper)
AS Monaco
AS Roma
Assange, Julian

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Aston Villa
Atlético Madrid
Audi
Augstein, Rudolf
Aznar, José

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B arça
B., Liz
Bale, Gareth
Ballon d'Or
Balotelli, Mario
Banco Santander
Bank Leumi
Barnes & Bell Limited
Barnett, Jonathan
Barrada, Abdelaziz
Bayer 04 Leverkusen
Bayrock Group
Beckenbauer, Franz
Becker, Boris
Beckham, David
Bedamarse Limited
Beiersdorfer, Dietmar
Beister, Maximilian
Bellarabi, Karim
Ben ca Lisbon
Benington Group
Benítez, Rafael
Benzema, Karim
Bergkamp, Dennis
Berlusconi, Silvio
Bernat, Juan
Beşiktaş Istanbul
Big Jorge
Birkenfeld, Bradley
Birmingham City
Blatter, Joseph (Sepp)
Blazer, Chuck
Bloomberg
Blue Brands Limited
Boateng, Jerome
Boca Juniors
Bolt, Usain
Borussia Dortmund (BVB)
Borussia Monchengladbach
Bosman, Jean-Marc
Brinkbäumer, Klaus

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5/10/2021 Untitled
Brockton Foundation
Brozović, Marcelo
Bruch, René vom

Page 249

Bruchhagen, Heribert
BT TV (Pay TV broadcaster)
Bundesliga
Bursaspor

C A San Lorenzo
CAA Sports
Can, Emre
Candea, Stefan
Cantona, Eric
Carrizo, Juan Pablo
Carvalho, Ricardo
Castaignos, Luc
Castrillón, Luis Jan Piers Advíncula
Catania Calcio
César, Júlio
Champions League
Chicharito
China Sports Media
Chinese Super League
Cléber
Comaro Management GmbH
Conte, Antonio
Convergence Capital Partners
Čop, Duje
Costa, Diego
Credence Holdings
CRIJ / e Black Sea
Crocitta, Omar Walter

D ahlkamp, Jürgen
Dassler, Adi
Dassler, Horst
Daum, Christoph
Deltour, Antoine
Denos
Depormata 88
Deportivo La Coruña
German Football League (DFL)
German Bundestag
German Football Association (DFB)
DFB Cup
DH-Holding Verwaltungs GmbH
Dinamo Zagreb
Dodici

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Page 250

Doyen Capital
Doyen Global
Doyen Marketing
Doyen Natural Resources
Doyen Sports Investments
Doyen group
Draxler, Julian
Drogba, Didier
Dynamo Berlin

E C Pelotas
EFG International AG
Eintracht Frankfurt
El Con dencial
El Mundo
Empis, Francisco
Etihad
EU Court of Justice
EU commission
Eu Parliament
Eurasian Natural Resources (ENRC)
Europe League
European Club Association
European Investigative Collaborations (EIC)
European Sports Management
Expresso

F alcao, Radamel
Falciani, Hervé
butterfly
Arsenal FC
FC Barcelona
FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich AG
Cadiz FC
Chelsea FC
Getafe CF.
Liaoning FC
Liverpool FC
FC Porto
FC Schalke 04
Sevilla FC
Southampton FC
Torino FC
FC Twente Enschede

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Page 251

Valencia CF
Fenerbahçe Istanbul
Ferreira, Képler Laveran Lima
Fifa
Figo, Luís
Financial Times
Firmino
FK Vojvodina Novi Sad
Forbes
Fosun International Limited
Friesenbichler, Kevin
Fuentes, Eufemiano

G acinović, Mijat
Gauland, Alexander
Gazzetta dello Sport
Gea, David de
Gestifute
Giegold, Sven
Gil Marín, Miguel Ángel
Gil y Gil, Jesus
Globe Soccer Awards
Goddard, Mark
Golf Club St. Leon-Rot mbH
Gomes, André
Gomez, Mario
González, Luis
Google
Gotze, Mario
Griezmann, Antoine
Grindel, Reinhard
Guangzhou Evergrande
Guardiola, Pep
Guilavogui, Joshua
Gustavo, Luiz

H aixia Capital
Halilović, Alen
Hamburg Sports Association (HSV)
Hard, Joe
Havelange, João
Hebei China Fortune FC
Heesen, omas von
He ner, Stephan

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Page 252

Hellmann, Axel
Henrichs, Christoph
Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs (HMRC)
Herbalife
Hernández Applebaum, Eduardo
Hernández Balcázar, Javier
Hertha BSC
Higuaín, Gonzalo
Hillier, Meg
Hoeneß, Uli
Hopp, Dietmar
Höwedes, Benedikt
Hulk
Hummels, Mats

I bragimov, Alijan
Ibrahimović, Zlatan
Icaza, Gonzalez - Ruiz & Inglés
Infantino, Gianni
Infront Sports & Media
Inter Milan
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ)
International Sport and Leisure (ISL)
International Sport Company Limited
ITB International BV

J anuzaj, Adnan
JBS
JCLC Promotions
Jedvaj, Tin
Jenbril
Jiangsu Suning
Jianlin, Wang
Jinping, Xi
John, Ola
Jones, Marion
Junuzović, Zlatko
Juventus Turin

K aká
Qatar, Emir of
Kay, Matthew
Kentucky Fried Chicken
Kenyon, Peter

Page 253

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5/10/2021 Untitled

Kiessling, Stefan
KL Sportsbase
Klopp, Jürgen
Koç, Yildirim Ali
Kohler, Jürgen
Konami
Kondogbia, Geo rey
Royal Dutch Football Association
Kovačić, Mateo
Koyot Group
KPMG
Kramer, Christoph
Kroos, Toni
Kullashi, Ylli
Kunse International NV

L 'espresso
Lasogga, Pierre-Michel
Lavezzi, Ezequiel Iván
Lazio Rome
Le Havre AC
Le Soir
League 1
Lechia Gdańsk
L'Équipe
Levy, Daniel
Lewandowski, Robert
Lewis, Carl
Liolios, Constantine
Lobuzov, Artem
Lovren, Dejan
Loew, Joachim
Lucas, Nélio
Lucho

M ajor League Soccer

Mamić, Mario
Mamić, Zdravko
Mamić, Zoran
Manchester city
Manchester United
Mandžukić, Mario
Mangala, Eliaquim
Manning, Bradley

Page 254

María, Ángel Di
Maroto López, Mariano

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5/10/2021 Untitled
Marotta, Giuseppe
Martial, Anthony
Martínez, Jackson
Mashkevich, Alexander
Mata, Juan
Matuidi, Blaise
Mchitarjan, Henrich
Media part
Mendes, Jorge
Merham Limited
Merkel, Angela
Messi, Lionel
Meyho, Andreas
Modrić, Luka
Montoro, Cristóbal
Mossack Fonseca & Co.
Mourinho, José
Müller, grandma
Multisports & Image Management (MIM)
Munsterman, Joop

N but, Nicola
Naldo
Nazarbayev, Nursultan
Nastasić, Matija
New, Manuel
New York Times
NewsWeek
Neymar
Niersbach, Wolfgang
Ñíguez Esclápez, Saúl
Nike European Operations Netherlands BV
Nike
North Elds Sports
Novo Banco
NRC Handelsblad
NSA

Oh dems, Martijn
OGS Nice
Oliveira, Roberto Firmino Barbosa de
Oliveira, Simon

Page 255

Olympique Lyon
Olympique Marseille
Orel BV
Oscar
Özil, Mesut

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5/10/2021 Untitled

P ardo, Alexander Júnior Ponce

Paris Saint-Germain
Paros Consulting Limited
Pellè, Graziano
Pepe
Pérez, Florentino
Petralito, Giacomo
Pinto, Aníbal
Platini, Michel
Pogba, Paul
Polaris
Politics
Ponce, Ezequiel
Premier League
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)
Primera Division
Profoot International Limited
puma

Q uality Football

R aiola, Mino
Ramos, Sergio
Rapp, Christian
Rasport Management AG
Rauball, Reinhard
real Madrid
Reis, Cléber
Reuben, David
Reuben, Jamie
Reuben, Simon
Reus, Marco
Ricken, Lars
Rinaudo, Fabián
Rio Ave FC
Rixos
Rodrigues, Ronaldo Aparecido
Rodríguez, James

Page 256

Rodríguez, Ricardo
Rogon Sportmanagement GmbH & Co. KG
Rojo, Marcos
Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, Cristiano
Rooney, Wayne
Rummenigge, Karl-Heinz

Ş ahin, Nuri
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5/10/2021 Untitled
Salvio, Eduardo
Sammer, Matthias
Sanches, Renato
Santo, Nuno Espírito
Santos Emboaba Júnior, Oscar dos
Santos Leite, Ricardo Izecson dos
SAP
Sasha
Saul
Shakhtar Donetsk
Schäuble, Wolfgang
Schmitt, Jörg
Schodiev, Patoch
Schweinsteiger, Bastian
Sembol
Semzov, Vladimir
Series A
Shandong Luneng
Shanghai Shenhua
Shanghai SIPG
Silva Santos Júnior, Neymar da
Silva, Eduardo Alves there
Simeone, Diego
Simonian, Marcelo
SK Tavriya Simferopol
Skip
Sky (Pay TV channel)
Snowden, Edward
Sousa, Givanildo Vieira de
Sparta Prague
Sporting Braga
Sporting Cristal
Sporting Gijón
Sporting Lisbon
Sports Consultants
SportsTotal
SpVgg Bayern Hof

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SSC Naples
St. Galler Kantonalbank
Starbucks
Stoneygate 48
Struth, Volker
Southgerman newspaper
Suning Commerce Group
Supat BV

T ah, Jonathan
Tamid Sport Marketing

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5/10/2021 Untitled
Tanaze i, Oualid
Taz
Teixeira, Alex
Telecom
Termez, Marco
Tévez, Carlos
e General International Company
e Sunday Times
iago
Tianjin Quanjian
Tollin Associates Limited
Tonietto, Paulo Fernando
Topscore Sports Limited
Torres, Fernando
Tottenham Hotspur
Toyota
Transfair Rechtsverwertungsgesellscha mbH & Co. KG
Transfer Matching System (FIFA TMS)
Trident Chambers
Trump, Donald
TSG 1899 Ho enheim Fußball-Spielbetriebs GmbH
TSG 1899 Ho enheim
TSV Buchbach
Tumod Ventures Limited
Turan, Arda

U efa
Ujah, Anthony
Ullrich, Jan
Unilever
University of San Martín de Porres
Uuniqq Sarl

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V arane, Raphaël
Vela Management Limited
Vermögens- und Privatbank Aktiengesellschaft
VfL Wolfsburg
Villiger, Marco
Vitória Setúbal
Volksbank Liechtenstein
Volkswagen AG (VW)
Volkswagen Arena
Volland, Kevin

W anda Group
Warner, Jack

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5/10/2021 Untitled
Watzke, Hans-Joachim
Weinzierl, Alfred
Werder Bremen
WikiLeaks
Witsel, Axel
Wittmann, Roger
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wood, Gibbins & Partners
Wulzinger, Michael

Z ahavi, Pini
Zenit St. Petersburg
Zidane, Zinedine

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