A consumer rights official has vowed to question the organisers of a masters football match after Argentina brought a lookalike rather than the advertised Claudio Caniggia to take part in a veterans game, Brazilian media reported on Monday.

Organisers promised that Sunday’s game between Brazil and Argentina would feature a host of former World Cup players — including Mauro Galvao, Edmilson and Junior Baiano for Brazil, and Roberto Sensini and Ariel Ortega for the visitors.

But none of them turned up and in place of Caniggia, famous for his distinctive long blonde hair, Argentina fielded lookalike Daniel Cordone, the former Velez Sarsfield striker who once had an unsuccessful stint at Newcastle United. Big screens at the Dunas arena in Natal put Caniggia in the lineup but locals discovered the ruse.

One of the organisers told a TV station in Natal he was not aware the No. 7 was a fake Caniggia but Argentine players said the former River Plate, Atalanta and Boca Juniors player missed his flight. More than 10,000 people watched the match, which finished 3-3. Consumer rights officials in Natal were not immediately available to comment.