‘I didn’t know any better’: Field of broken dreams for victims of football fraudsters

Young players with hopes of glory are being scammed by fake agents who offer trials but take the money and run

Daniel Aldana had a dream, one shared by millions worldwide. He was desperate to be a professional footballer; all he needed was an opportunity. Aldana was training with a National League team when he was contacted on LinkedIn by someone claiming to be an agent and offering a trial with a Swedish third-tier club.

Aldana simply had to pay a small sum to cover medical insurance. Then the agent asked for a further €350. Aldana was, apparently, not suitable for the club’s needs, meaning the agent had to really push for his trial to go ahead. “I said: ‘Fair enough,’” Aldana says. “That’s how football works. I must take risks.”