Fake Coaching License Investigation Names Fluminense's Thiago Silva and Ex-Palmeiras Star Felipe Melo
An investigation published October 7 by Brazilian outlet UOL alleges that Alejandro Mancuso — a former Flamengo and Palmeiras player and onetime assistant to Diego Maradona — sold fake Argentine coaching licenses to a list of well-known former and current players. Two names on that list, Fluminense's Thiago Silva and ex-Palmeiras player Felipe Melo, are directly tied to this year's Libertadores semifinal picture, days before Fluminense host Palmeiras in the first leg.
What the Investigation Alleges
According to the UOL investigation, signed by journalist Joanna de Assis, Mancuso presented himself as an "international director" of the Argentine Football Coaches' Association (ATFA) and offered a fast-tracked path to coaching certification — the four licenses (C, B, A and PRO) that normally take around three years of training — delivered within seven to ten days, for a fee reported at around R$100,000 (roughly $20,000) per athlete.
The investigation reports that the certificates it examined had non-functional QR codes, retroactive issue dates, spelling errors, and signatures attributed to ATFA directors no longer in those roles at the time.
Thiago Silva and Felipe Melo's Involvement
Thiago Silva — Fluminense's veteran defender and Brazilian national team mainstay — is named among the players who paid Mancuso for a license. Felipe Melo, who played for both Palmeiras and Fluminense across his career (and lifted the Libertadores trophy with Palmeiras in 2021), says he grew suspicious when the in-person classes he was promised never materialized, and that he demanded and received his money back before using the certificate.
Other names reported in the investigation include Roberto Carlos, Diego Lugano, Paolo Guerrero, Alex de Souza, Luiz Gustavo, Dejan Petkovic and Paulinho — accounts of what each player knew or intended reportedly differ.
ATFA's Response and Mancuso's Denial
The ATFA states that the documents Mancuso issued are fake and that he was never authorized to represent the organization. Mancuso, for his part, denies selling fake licenses or receiving payment from any player, saying he only gave general advice to athletes interested in Argentine coaching training.
Why It Matters Right Now
The story broke in the same week Fluminense prepare to host Palmeiras in the first leg of the 2026 Libertadores semifinal — a tie between the club Thiago Silva currently plays for and the club most associated with Felipe Melo's career, including the 2021 continental title he lifted in Montevideo.