A Brazilian coach was suspended for a year for using a fake license linked to Alejandro Mancuso

The Brazilian football world has been embroiled in controversy over the alleged commercialization of irregular licenses to work as a coach, a maneuver that implicates several renowned former players and primarily points to Alejandro Mancuso. Amid the investigation, Diego Souza, who served as head coach of Joinville, received a harsh sanction for having used one of those documents: he will be barred from his position for one year.

The decision was made on Tuesday by the Santa Catarina Sports Justice Tribunal (TJD-SC), which resolved by unanimity, with three votes in favor and none against, to suspend the coach. Additionally, he was imposed a fine of 20,000 reais, which he must pay within 15 days.

However, since Souza had already served part of the penalty under a preventive suspension that began on October 23, he has 340 days left of disqualification. The measure also prevents him from continuing to lead the Brazilian team, which he joined in August and with which he managed five matches in Serie D: he achieved three victories and suffered two defeats.

The coach, who announced that he will appeal the ruling to the full tribunal and subsequently to the Superior Sports Justice Tribunal (STJD), explained how he obtained the certification and pointed fingers at Mancuso, who allegedly contacted him in 2023 to offer a special process that would allow him to obtain the license.

According to statements made to UOL, the former Argentine footballer assured him that he had a license intended for players recognized for their professional careers, which allowed them to work as head coaches without going through the usual training process. "So-and-so did it with me, Such-and-such did it with me; he would say. A guy with all the experience he has in football, who played for great teams and in the Argentine National Team. That made me trust and process the license with him", Souza recounted.

Moreover, the Brazilian shared the content of an audio message that Mancuso had sent him to explain the procedure. "Brother, let me explain the license procedure. For all those who have already processed it, it's the same, everything works the same way. If you know Paulinho, Felipe Melo, or Nenê, ask them how we work. We work with a lot of seriousness, we are 100% professionals. Since these urgent licenses are only for stars, I explain to the president of the Federation who you are and how far you have come", the message stated.

The document presented by Souza was listed as issued by the Argentine Football Coaches Association (ATFA). However, investigations determined that there were no academic records of the coach at that institution and that CONMEBOL also did not have a license registered in his name.

In light of the controversy, the former coach of Joinville acknowledged his concern about what happened and stated that he tried to alert Brazilian authorities as soon as he became aware of the irregularities. "I even feel embarrassed by this whole situation. I sent an email to the CBF at that very moment, stating that I might have fallen for a scam and that it was a fake license", he expressed.

The investigation involving Alejandro Mancuso

The case of Souza is part of a broader investigation that has Mancuso under the scrutiny of the Brazilian press. The former Argentine player, who was an assistant to Diego Maradona during his time as coach of the Argentine National Team, allegedly offered certifications corresponding to categories C, B, A, and PRO, attributed to the ATFA, to various footballers and former footballers from South America.

According to an investigation published by UOL, the mechanism consisted of offering a fast-tracked process that took into account the professional background of the interested parties to reduce the usual academic requirements. The cost of the certifications reportedly reached 20,000 dollars.

Among the names mentioned are Roberto Carlos, Thiago Silva, Felipe Melo, Alex de Souza, Diego Lugano, Paolo Guerrero, Luiz Gustavo, Petkovic, and Paulinho. Some of the involved figures expressed doubts about the procedure: Felipe Melo reportedly began to distrust after inquiring about in-person classes that were never scheduled, while Alex de Souza stated that he received forms to complete and subsequently certificates via email.

In response to the accusations, the ATFA distanced itself from any dealings by the Argentine. "ATFA does not recognize any dealings that Mr. Mancuso has conducted or claims to have conducted on behalf of the entity", the institution communicated, also clarifying that Mancuso is not part of its Board of Directors, does not hold any authority position, nor has a contractual relationship with it.

At the moment, there is no judicial resolution determining criminal responsibilities in the alleged maneuver. Meanwhile, the sanction against Diego Souza represents one of the first concrete sporting consequences of the scandal shaking Brazilian football.