Fake Xavi Hernandez coach bid sent by 19-year-old student using ChatGPT: Report

Updated On: 27 July, 2025 04:59 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondent

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) had earlier issued a statement on Saturday, acknowledging that they had received applications allegedly from high-profile names such as Hernandez and even Manchester City’s manager, Pep Guardiola. However, they had also said that they could not verify the authenticity of these applications.

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Xavi Hernandez waves to fans (Photo: AFP)

Days after reports sent ripples across Indian football circles claiming that Spanish legend Xavi Hernandez had applied for the role of head coach of the Indian national football team, a startling revelation has come to light. The application has now been confirmed to be the work of a 19-year-old college student.

According to a report published by The Telegraph, the student, who is currently enrolled at the Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), a private university in Tamil Nadu, was behind the hoax. The teenager admitted to drafting and sending the fake application email using ChatGPT, an AI-based text generator.

“I copy pasted the [ChatGPT] response and mailed it. I didn’t attach a CV or anything, but I think they saw the mail,” the student was quoted as saying in the report.