Swiss Supreme Court Rules Against Dani Alves in Pumas Legal Battle

Dani Alves has lost his final legal battle with Pumas UNAM, with Switzerland’s highest court ordering the former Brazil defender to pay the Mexican club £1.7 million ($2.3m) in compensation.

The Swiss Federal Supreme Court dismissed Alves’ appeal and upheld a previous ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), according to ESPN Brazil. The June 11 decision is now legally binding and closes a dispute that has dragged on since early 2023.

The case stems from Pumas’ decision to terminate Alves’ contract in January 2023 after his arrest in Barcelona on sexual assault charges. The club argued breach of contract and initially went after $5m in compensation, plus a further $1m related to image rights already paid to the player.

FIFA’s Football Tribunal first rejected Pumas’ claim. The Mexican side refused to let it drop, took the matter to CAS and won. Alves then pushed the fight to Switzerland’s top court. That avenue has now been shut.

The 43-year-old has been ordered to pay not only the multi-million-dollar compensation, but also 17,000 Swiss francs in legal costs and 19,000 Swiss francs in procedural expenses, adding another financial hit on top of the main award.

Alves previously spent 14 months in prison before a Spanish court overturned his conviction, leading to his release in March 2025. While that ruling changed the course of his criminal case, it has not spared him from the contractual consequences of his time at Pumas.

For the Mexican club, this is more than a balance sheet victory. The ruling stands as a clear endorsement of the disciplinary clauses written into modern player contracts and their enforceability all the way up to the Swiss Federal Supreme Court.

Alves has already stepped away from the pitch and into the boardroom. The former Sevilla and Barcelona full-back has turned his attention to football administration and ownership, recently completing a takeover of Portuguese third-tier side Sporting Clube de Sao Joao de Ver.

His new project in Europe now runs in parallel with a significant financial obligation. Before he can fully settle into life as a club owner, Alves must first settle with Pumas – by order of the highest court in Switzerland.