Santa Catarina Soccer Team Used by Pogba and Ibrahimovic's Agent Shuts Down Leaving a Trace of Mystery

06/27/2017 - 09h24

The end of a soccer team in the third division in the state of Santa Catarina (SC) shouldn't attract much attention. But there is little that is typical about the trajectory of the Maga Esporte Clube. A team that came up out of nowhere, didn't like the media and disappeared without leaving a trace.

It could have passed away in silence if it weren't for the involvement in the club of agent and business manager Mino Raiola, one of the most powerful men in world soccer.

A soccer manager in Santa Catarina who requested to remain anonymous said that Maga was involved in a mystery. In the same way that it appeared out of nowhere it disappeared without a trace.

Since it was based in a small city - in Pomerode (SC), with only about 32,000 inhabitants - it would have been expected to attract the interest of at least the local population. This never happened.

According to the Santa Catarinha Federation, at the end of 2016 the club communicated that it would be shutting down its operations.

The club had been founded in 2009 so that Mino Raiola could register Brazilian players before sending them off to Europe. One of the best-known names in world soccer, Raiola is an agent for Ibrahimovic, Balotelli and Pogba.

Successes off of the playing field soon started appearing. In 2009, Milan (ITA) contracted back-fielder Felipe Mattioni, who was playing for Grêmio but had been registered by Maga.

On the playing field, results were disastrous. The team only won its very first game in 2011 by walkover (W.O.) against Pinheiros.

Translated by LLOYD HARDER

Read the article in the original language

	Jacopo Raule/Getty Images
	Mino Raiola (R) and Mario Balotelli are seen on March 5, 2013 in Milan, Italy