Pedro Trogliocurrent technical director of Banfield in Argentina and a widely recognized soccer figure in that country, publicly denounced having been the victim of an alleged million-dollar real estate scam in the city of La Plata, in a case for which it put up to $157,000 dollars at risk. The case, as explained by the coach himself, involves around 160 investors and affected both individuals and people linked to the sport, many of them with high-impact economic losses.
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Troglio explained the situation in a television interview, where he focused not only on his personal experience, but also on the consequences that the episode had for other victims. “There are people who lost their life savings“, he told the local channel America TVin statements reviewed by Infobaemarking a difference between their situation and that of those who do not have financial support to face a blow of that type.
From professional football to a failed investment
Beyond the extra-sports episode, Troglio is a figure with an extensive and recognized career in South American football. As a player, he was world youth champion with Argentina in 1986 and was part of the senior team that played in the 1990 World Cup in Italy. In his professional career he wore historic jerseys such as those of River Plate, Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata, Independiente and Argentinos Juniors, among others.
Already as a coach, he developed a broad and diverse career. In Argentina he directed clubs like Gimnasia, San Lorenzo, Independiente, Banfield, Tigre, Argentinos Juniors, Godoy Cruz and Instituto. He also had relevant steps abroad, with two cycles at the head of Olympia in Hondurasin addition to experiences in Cerro Porteño in Paraguay and Sports University in Peru. That international career even led him to make investments while working outside the country.
According to him, his approach to the real estate project occurred in an informal context, through acquaintances, which generated an initial climate of trust. The proposal included the purchase of apartments under construction, with the additional attraction of a monthly rent. “They invite you to a meeting of friends and in the middle of a barbecue they tell you that they are setting up pit apartments. They are snake charmers and you end up entering,” Troglio explained, describing how he decided to get involved.
As the months went by, the situation began to show warning signs. The works were stopped, the promised payments stopped arriving and uncertainty spread among investors. “3 or 4 months ago we noticed that no one was working in the buildings. In October they stopped paying the rent and that’s when we realized that they couldn’t continue,” said the coach.
Troglio stressed that, although in his case the impact was significant, what worries him most is the damage suffered by other people. “I have enough to continue living, but there are people who put everything they had into an apartment and today have no more money,” he said.
While he continues his work at the head of Banfield and maintains his profile linked to football, the coach decided to make his situation public as a warning. His testimony combines the voice of a former World Cup player and experienced coach with that of another investor, trapped in a story outside of sport, but with profound consequences off the field.
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