FIRED FOR USING CHATGPT! AI Costs This Soccer Coach His Job
A dismissal in Russia puts AI at the center of the debate and shakes professional soccer, as a coach is accused of relying on AI tools
Posted on 27/01/2026 at 20:57
Artificial intelligence is already impacting professional soccer, but its use is also opening uncomfortable debates.
The case of Roberto Moreno shows just how far technology can go in sports decision-making.
The Coach Dismissal That Sparked the Debate
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Roberto Moreno became the first soccer coach to be dismissed over the use of artificial intelligence at a professional club.
The Spanish coach was fired in August of last year from his position at FC Sochi in Russia, although details surrounding his departure only became public recently.
Andrei Orlov, the former general director of the Russian club, accused Moreno of repeatedly using ChatGPT during the 20 months he was in charge of the team.
According to the executive, the coach relied on AI to set lineups, plan player signings, and organize logistical aspects of the squad.
Lineups, Training Routines, and Travel Plans
According to Orlov, Moreno used the application to design starting lineups and implement unconventional methods, such as waking players up at five in the morning.
He also allegedly turned to AI to plan the team’s travel arrangements.
In one such case, an itinerary reportedly caused players to remain awake for 28 consecutive hours.
“I asked him: ‘Robert, everything looks great, but when are the guys going to sleep?’” the former executive recounted.
The use of ChatGPT also allegedly influenced the signing of Kazakh forward Artur Shushenachev, who stayed at the club for only one year after scoring two goals in 13 matches.
Roberto Moreno’s Version
The Spanish coach denied that his dismissal was related to the use of artificial intelligence.
According to Moreno, his departure from Sochi came by mutual agreement with club management due to poor sporting results.
Moreno acknowledged having used AI tools, but said they were only for translating from Russian to Spanish, a language he does not speak fluently.
In statements to the newspaper AS, he denied using ChatGPT to prepare matches, decide lineups, or select players.
Regarding the signing of Shushenachev, the coach stated that it was a decision agreed upon with the club’s sporting management and medical staff, and that the proposal came from the institutional structure, not from a technological consultation.
The Moreno case sets an uncomfortable precedent for modern soccer and leaves open the discussion about the limits of artificial intelligence inside locker rooms.
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