Joseph Minala is indeed 17 years old. The Cameroonian was accused of being 42 years old -- yes, 147 percent older than he actually is -- but the Lazio youngster has been cleared of any misdoing.
Lazio’s Joseph Minala confirmed to be 17 years old, not 42
A 42-year-old trying to pass himself off as 17 was believable, apparently.
Maurizio Lagana
A report claimed that Minala had altered his passport to say he was younger and could then play for Lazio's youth team, leading the Italian FA to investigate, but the FA cleared him.
“The federal prosecutor has examined the report and ordered the investigation to be closed,” a statement read. “There are no doubts about his age. He is 17.”
African players have long been accused of providing incorrect ages -- sometimes because it is advantageous to say you are younger and sometimes because there is no record keeping of a person’s actual birth date -- but to shave 25 years off of one’s actual age would be almost unprecedented. And brazen. And crazy.
Congratulations to Minala on being 17 years old, or something.
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