@FootynewsA journalistic investigation has laid out an alleged scheme selling ATFA diplomas across South America, and the names attached to it are not small ones. The man accused at the center is Alejandro Mancuso. According to the reporting, he offered what he called "urgent processing" for C, B, A, and PRO licenses, charging as much as $20,000, and the classes were never part of the deal, "WITHOUT TAKING THE CLASSES" in the words of the investigation. He also claimed he had people behind him inside the ATFA. Tied to the case: Diego Lugano, Luiz Gustavo, Paulinho, Petković, Alex de Souza, Roberto Carlos, Felipe Melo, and Thiago Silva. All of them allegedly believed they were going through a legitimate process and acted "IN GOOD FAITH." Some of the details stand out. Felipe Melo grew suspicious and asked for his money back. Thiago Silva paid for classes he never got. Alex said he never used the title at all. The ATFA's response is a flat denial of any association with Mancuso, and the federation has called the documents false, pointing to QR codes that don't work and errors in how they were prepared. The credential at issue is a Director Técnico Nacional de Fútbol from ESCUELA CENTRAL DIRECTORES TÉCNICOS DE FÚTBOL. So a scandal that reportedly reaches several football legends is still just that: reported, alleged, and denied. Wild either way.

@FootynewsA journalistic investigation has laid out an alleged scheme selling ATFA diplomas across South America, and the names attached to it are not small ones. The man accused at the center is Alejandro Mancuso. According to the reporting, he offered what he called "urgent processing" for C, B, A, and PRO licenses, charging as much as $20,000, and the classes were never part of the deal, "WITHOUT TAKING THE CLASSES" in the words of the investigation. He also claimed he had people behind him inside the ATFA. Tied to the case: Diego Lugano, Luiz Gustavo, Paulinho, Petković, Alex de Souza, Roberto Carlos, Felipe Melo, and Thiago Silva. All of them allegedly believed they were going through a legitimate process and acted "IN GOOD FAITH." Some of the details stand out. Felipe Melo grew suspicious and asked for his money back. Thiago Silva paid for classes he never got. Alex said he never used the title at all. The ATFA's response is a flat denial of any association with Mancuso, and the federation has called the documents false, pointing to QR codes that don't work and errors in how they were prepared. The credential at issue is a Director Técnico Nacional de Fútbol from ESCUELA CENTRAL DIRECTORES TÉCNICOS DE FÚTBOL. So a scandal that reportedly reaches several football legends is still just that: reported, alleged, and denied. Wild either way.