Thiago Silva and Felipe Melo caught up in coaching mafia scandal as Diego Maradona's former assistant is accused of selling fake licences

A report by Brazilian outlet UOL has exposed the inner workings of an illicit network offering fast-track coaching qualifications in just ten days. The inquiry names seasoned veterans Silva and Melo among several prominent figures who reportedly secured their badges through the operation. Prospective clients were allegedly charged 100,000 Brazilian reais, roughly $20,000, to receive their diplomas without undertaking the mandatory coursework.

Audio recordings obtained by UOL feature Mancuso detailing a supposed fast-track route brokered for high-profile footballers: "I reached an agreement with the president of our association so that all these stars who played the game have a way around doing this online course. Done and dusted. These are guys who played football all their lives; do they really need to take a three-year online course?"

However, the former Boca Juniors player forcefully dismissed claims of selling documentation directly: "A lot of Brazilians call me. Why? Because I'm well known in Brazil, you know? And they ask me how it's done, how to get it. I pass along the federation contact so they can call directly. I'm not in the federation, I'm not part of the federation. I only assist if they ask me what steps to take, nothing more."

The Argentine Football Coaches Association (ATFA) moved quickly to distance itself from the unfolding controversy, with general secretary Salvador Pasini issuing a firm rebuff: "[ATFA] does not recognise any arrangement that Mr. Mancuso has carried out or claims to have carried out on behalf of the organisation.

"He is not part of the Board of Directors, holds no position of authority within ATFA, maintains no contractual relationship with the institution, and is not authorised to act on its behalf or represent it. Consequently, any offer, payment collection, or delivery of documentation he may have executed by invoking ATFA is entirely unrelated to this organisation."

The legitimacy of the credentials was further undermined by an image of a diploma dated December 2023, which carried the signature of former ATFA director Victor Cocco, an official who stepped down from his post in 2020.

The veterans caught up in the inquiry now face the prospect of having their badges revoked alongside formal ethics probes from regional governing bodies. With most of the implicated figures nearing retirement, doubts over their accreditation could create significant administrative roadblocks as they look to transition into the dugout. Authorities in Brazil and Argentina are expected to broaden their cross-border investigations to dismantle the wider forged document network.