Lemerre threatens Étoile du Sahel with FIFA complaint over €17,841 unpaid debt

Roger Lemerre has put his former club under legal pressure: the lawyers of the ex-France national team coach sent an official notice on November 4 to Étoile Sportive du Sahel, demanding €17,841 and threatening to refer the matter to FIFA if payment is not made.

The sum required, approximately 59,660 Tunisian dinars, stems from an agreement protocol concluded in July 2025 between the two parties. It breaks down into a balance of €11,500, to which are added €1,341 in late payment interest and €5,000 in compensation. Despite this contractual commitment, payment reportedly had not been made by the date of the notice.

Lemerre’s lawyers’ letter gave the Tunisian club eight days to settle the matter. If payment is not received after this deadline, the representatives of the 85-year-old former coach announced their intention to take the case to international football authorities. FIFA has the power in such cases to impose a transfer ban, a sanction that would seriously complicate Étoile du Sahel’s sporting management.

Lemerre knows the Sousse club well: he worked there on three occasions, during the 2013-2014, 2018-2019 and 2021-2022 seasons. European champion with the France team in 2000, the Norman coach now intends to obtain respect for the commitments made by his last Tunisian employer, even if it means taking the dispute to the international stage.