• Football
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • Home
  • Football
    • England
    • Transfer News
    • Premier League
    • Champions League
    • Lionel Messi
    • Cristiano Ronaldo
    • EA FC 25
    • Wrexham
  • Boxing
    • Tyson Fury
    • Anthony Joshua
    • Oleksandr Usyk
    • Mike Tyson
    • Jake Paul
    • Logan Paul
  • UFC
    • Dana White
    • Conor McGregor
    • Khabib Nurmagomedov
    • Jon Jones
    • Paddy Pimblett
    • Joe Rogan
  • Other Sport
    • Athletics
    • Formula 1
    • MMA
    • Motorsport
    • NBA
    • Darts
    • NFL
    • Snooker
    • Wrestling
    • Tennis
    • Cricket
    • Golf
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube
Lazio youth player accused of being 42 has moved away from Italy

Home> Football

Published 18:43 28 Apr 2023 GMT+1

Lazio youth player accused of being 42 has moved away from Italy

It's been 10 years since Joseph Minala first joined Serie A side Lazio as a teenager, but he was accused of being in his 40s.

Ryan Sidle

Ryan Sidle

10 years-ago Joseph Minala signed for Lazio as a teenager, but was accused of looking much older, now, a decade on, he's left Italy for a new European country.

It's been nearly a decade since Minala became an internet sensation, in 2014, when a picture of the then Lazio youth player started going viral.

The midfielder certainly looked older than his then 17 years of age, with the teenager's face suggesting he'd certainly had a tough paper-route growing up.

Not only did he look older, a report on an African football website claimed that the teenager was in fact 42-years-old, leading to an investigation.

Minala was at the Stadio Olimpico from 2014 to 2021, although he actually only played four times in the senior team for the Biancocelesti in that time.

Advert

Instead he went on loan to several clubs in Italy, including Salernitana and Bari, making about 67 appearances, and a temporary move to Chinese Super League club Qingdao Huanghai in 2020.

Last summer, the Cameroon born player moved to Serie C side Olbia Calcio 1905, the team from the coastal city in northeast Sardinia, Olbia.

However, he had his one year contract terminated, by mutual consent, at the beginning of the year and has now moved to Latvia, to play in their top tier with FK Liepaja.

Minala, now 26, was on the bench earlier on Friday, as Liepaja defeated Super Nova 6-2 away from home, to go third in the Latvian Higher League.

Advert

Of course, if the accusations about him at the beginning of his career were true, then the former Lazio man would currently be about 52-years-old.

No matter what level of football, it would be pretty decent to be part of any squad for a professional side at that age, although he wouldn't be the oldest current player.

Japanese legend Kazuyoshi Miura is the record holder for the oldest current player at the top level, at the age of 56-years-old, putting Minala's fake age to shame!

The only active player left from the FIFA 96 game is into the 36th year of his professional career and has played for some 15 clubs in that time.

Advert

Last week he made his most recent debut, for Portuguese second-tier side Oliveirense, coming on as a 89th substitute in their 4-1 win over Academico Viseu.

Featured Image Credit: Alamy/Instagram

Topics: Football, Lazio, Serie A, Italy

Ryan Sidle
Ryan Sidle

Ryan is a journalist for SPORTbible with over eight years of experience. Passionate about all sports, he mainly covers football and F1 - Daniel Ricciardo once spent an entire interview referring to him as 'Ryan Gosling,' still his proudest moment.

X

@Sidler28

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

26 mins ago
an hour ago
3 hours ago
  • Getty
    26 mins ago

    World Cup Qualifier Featuring Only One Team Called 'Saddest in Football History'

    The controversial match took place in 1973, with FIFA facing huge backlash.

    Football
  • Getty
    an hour ago

    Wayne Rooney 'Spiked England Teammate With Viagra' Before Training

    Wayne Rooney and Jermain Defoe tricked their former England teammate into taking a Viagra pill.

    Football
  • Getty
    an hour ago

    Presenter Who Visited All 92 Stadiums Reveals Most Hostile Grounds in England

    Which stadium in England has the most hostile atmosphere?

    Football
  • Getty
    3 hours ago

    Jobe Bellingham Linked to Two Premier League Clubs Amid Borussia Dortmund Issues

    Jobe Bellingham has been linked with a move away from Borussia Dortmund.

    Football
  • QUIZ: What year was the Premier League player born?
  • Zlatan Ibrahimovic wasn't impressed with AC Milan teammate's music career
  • Juventus could be 'excluded' from the Champions League
  • Jose Mourinho gave Europa Conference League keychain to Dutch journalist