Football Leaks

This is the explosive story of the biggest leak in sporting history – and the shady underworld of modern football. In 2016, a whistle-blower known only as ‘John’ started to leak a treasure trove of top-secret files to German newspaper Der Spiegel. These documents reveal the clandestine dealings of clubs, players and agents at the highest echelons of international football. And the story they tell is astonishing. From the eye-popping details of player transfers, including Neymar Jr, Pogba and Coutinho, to the loopholes and opaque tax structures that ensure maximum earnings for players and agents alike, this is a tale rife with rapacious greed and questionable deals. At the same time, it is the gripping story of a fan who wanted to free football from its corrupt overlords – and now finds himself on the run.

Rafael Buschmann, born in Zabrze (Poland) in 1982, studied German, psychology, sport and education. He joined the sports desk of Spiegel Online as a reporter in 2010 and then moved to the Spiegel in 2013. For his report on the disclosure of the irregularities behind the 2006 World Cup he and his co-authors were awarded the 2016 Henri Nannen Prize.

Michael Wulzinger, born in 1965, studied history, political science and German, joined the Spiegel sports desk in 1997 and was its head until September 2016.