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

‘When a player believes that their opportunity is finally here, emotions take over logical thinking,’ says one player who lost money. Photograph: Jim Steele/Alamy

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.”