RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (AP) - Vasco da Gama has complained to FIFA over claims Real Madrid is trying to sign teenage midfielder Philippe Coutinho.

Vasco posted a fax from its club president to his Madrid counterpart on its Web site Friday, saying that Madrid was violating Brazilian law and FIFA rules by attempting to sign the 15-year-old Coutinho.

Coutinho's parents told Vasco that Real Madrid had offered his father a job in Spain "in order to circumvent the provisions" against signing a child, the fax said.

Coutinho "has been formed by Vasco da Gama since his very beginning as a footballer and has not yet completed his training and educational period," club president Eurico Miranda said.

Miranda said that Vasco "has no intentions of negotiating over the player" and has referred the case to the Brazilian youth courts and the FIFA Players' Status Committee.

Coutinho's ball control has been compared to AC Milan star Kaka, the 2007 FIFA player of the year.

This goes on everywhere but South Americans have very strict rules relating to young footballers. Chelsea and Arsenal are as guilty as any clubs but I don't blame them, after all if they want, say, a 15 year old they can only sign him if he lives no more than 90 minutes drive from home to training ground. Unless, he lives outside England, then they can sign him.

Even Norwich City do it! They signed Edinburgh schoolboy Kris Renton at 15 and moved him down to be a scholar in their Academy. He became Norwich's youngest ever player! The could only get him as he was a Scot living outside The FA's jurisdiction.