What happened to former Lazio youth Joseph Minala who was accused of being 42 at 17

Publish date: 2024-07-28

Joseph Minala – the footballer accused of shaving 25 years off his age – is now plying his trade in a little-known island league.

Minala joined Lazio as a 17-year-old, but looked much more mature, with fans joking he was actually over 40. More seriously, an African football website claimed the Cameroonian player had altered his passport so he could pretend to be 17 instead of his alleged age of 42.

The allegation saw the player interrogated by Serie A’s federal prosecutor. Both Lazio and Minala himself rubbished the reports and produced the necessary paperwork to prove he was indeed a teenager.

READ MORE: Lazio youth who was 'claimed to be 42' joins country's most successful football club

READ MORE: Lazio youth who was 'claimed to be 42' leaves Italy and is forging career in new country

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Minala was cleared of any wrongdoing and focused on forging a career in Italy, only for him to become something of a journeyman with loan spells at various Serie B clubs, including Bari, as well as a stint in China with Qingdao Huanghai.

After failing to break through at Lazio, he eventually severed ties with the Rome club in 2021, joining lower league sides Lucchese and then Olbia. Minala moved away from Italy last year with a brief spell in Latvia with FK Liepaja.

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But he was on the move again in the same year, heading to Malta to join Sliema Wanderers, currently third in the country’s Premier League, where the now 27-year-old remains.

Upon announcing his arrival, Sliema said: “We are delighted to announce the exciting addition of Cameroonian defensive midfielder, Joseph Minala to our team. Having already played for some top-level clubs throughout his career including Lazio, Bari and Salernitana, Joseph will bring a wealth of talent and experience.”

Minala has addressed the question marks over his true age and believes the saga damaged his career. He recalled: “I was very young and I couldn't know or predict the resonance this would have. I'm very convinced that the age story has always held back my career.

“Did I expect more? Definitely. Every time I went out on loan I always had good seasons, but I never had the same chances as others at Lazio.”

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