17 year old Lazio talent Joseph Minala

Yurt

The only way that guy has only celebrated 17 birthdays is if he was born on the 29th of February.

Moneymaker

Lol

/thread

massdebater

Nothing like a perfectly reliable African birth cert.

wandatowell

Its not as if players from African players have a history of taking a few years off the actual age.


Nigeria have been pulling that stunt for years.


http://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/feb/21/nigerian-football-age-old-problem

RoryMac

The first pic looks like it belongs in Madam Tussaud's

Chazz Michael Michaels

Cameroon's answer to Benjamin Button.

dreamers75

FIFA bone marrow test them at under age comps.

Dunno if Mr Minala played under 17/18, maybe his kids do.

ctrl-alt-delete

If ever the term old head on young shoulders was needed . . .

There is a condition that can make a person look older then they are AFAIK. However ill remain sceptical that this 'young' man suffers from this.

Chazz Michael Michaels

[Deleted User] wrote: »

There is a condition that can make a person look older then they are AFAIK. However ill remain sceptical that this 'young' man suffers from this.

It tends to hit young African footballers the worst.

Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo

dreamers75 wrote: »

FIFA bone marrow test them at under age comps.

Dunno if Mr Minala played under 17/18, maybe his kids do.

His grandkids probably aren't even eligible to play under 17/18!

Is he in his seventies?!?

messinkiapina

This guy's age has been questioned all over the internet for the last couple of days. Feel sorry for him if he actually is only 17.

keeponhurling

Nelson Mandela is alive !

Oat23

weldoninhio

He must have one very stressful, incredibly tough paper-round!!!

Yurt

The Camoronian Benjamin Button

Wolf Club

Does anyone else think he looks a bit like Eusebio? (circa 2012, not 1966 btw)

Cypher_sounds

It would be apt if he joined Chelsea.

FearDark

I see Kanu has come out of retirement.

Zaph

Deleted User wrote: »

There is a condition that can make a person look older then they are AFAIK. However ill remain sceptical that this 'young' man suffers from this.

Considering some of the symptoms of Progeria according to Wikipedia include "musculoskeletal degeneration causing loss of body fat and muscle, stiff joints and hip dislocations", none of which would be great if you were a professional footballer, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say he doesn't have that.

LeBash

Cut him in half and count the rings. Its the most reliable way to get results with spending much more than the cost of a hacksaw.

astonaidan

Id be certain that Lazio would have done tests, hilarious that hes Nigerian though

8-10

astonaidan wrote: »

Id be certain that Lazio would have done tests, hilarious that hes Nigerian though

But he's not Nigerian?

Chancer3001

Obafemi martins was another one.

augustus gloop

jeasus we could have done with a hardy buck like that to play midfield my last year of minor!

Wolf Club

Chancer3001 wrote: »

Obafemi martins was another one.

Yeah. i always thought that was mental. He seemed to peak at Inter at 17! Was well passed it when he left Newcastle at the ripe old age of 25.

Duffy the Vampire Slayer

You could have told me he marked Robbie Keane in 2002 and I'd have believed you.

Pinturicchio

There's a 19-year age gap between these two.

bullpost

Just an old head on young shoulders if you ask me

astonaidan

8-10 wrote: »

But he's not Nigerian?

How did I miss that, I thought it was that young Nigerian at Lazio, whos name it turns out isnt close to Minala. Sorry

wonderfullife

MODS:

Lazio threatening legal action against anybody who insists on claiming he is not 17....

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/26162408

I believe "legal action" are the 2 magic words to Lock a thread on here

RayCon

17 in dog years ... :eek:

v3ttel

We reserve the right to take action against those responsible for the protection of the good name of the company and the footballer

Presumably the translation had a comma after responsible.......otherwise those people trying to protect the club and player had better watch out!

Skid X

I have the Steptoe and Son theme music going around in my head after reading that story.

wonderfullife

Whilst it's all a bit of fun and games right now, it does have the potential to be a Caster Semenya type situation - and one where if he's telling the truth it may have an impact on the poor 'lad'.

Logic alone would dictate he's telling the truth. Been one of the star performers for their youth sides and now into the first team setup.

It'd be incredibly difficult even for a Ryan Giggs or Lothar Mattheus (or whoever) to be running rings around 17 year olds from a top Academy. By all accounts he's a pacy player.

Time will tell i suppose. If he is still in the game in 5 years from now, people will have to finally accept he's not a 46 year old freak but a very talented 22 year old not blessed with great genes!!

CSF

sugarman wrote: »

41 is unbelievable in any sense. But whos to say hes not in his 20's, closing in on his peak already at 27 or so. Then he'd definately be running rings around youngsters as he is... as you said, time will tell if hes to make it

Well that isn't what the accusation is, the accusation is that he has said he is a certain age to the media. I don't know what to think, he looks older for sure, but I dunno.

Fr_Dougal

It's possible he's only 17. Sometimes kids can look much older.

Exhibit A.

Brendan Filone

He must be constantly going to the offy for his mates.

Will I Amnt

Brendan Filone wrote: »

He must be constantly going to the offy for his mates.

I'd imagine they don't need him, legal age for drinking in Italy is 16 so it's a complete waste of an old looking mate :pac:

Oat23

astonaidan wrote: »

Id be certain that Lazio would have done tests

Tests might show that his dentures are 17 years old, but I doubt he is.

thelad95

Romelu Lukaku surely worth a mention here?

GavRedKing

thelad95 wrote: »

Romelu Lukaku surely worth a mention here?

The guy born in Belgium ya?

thelad95

GavRedKing wrote: »

The guy born in Belgium ya?

Ouch. He does look a lot older than 19/20 though.

ceegee

thelad95 wrote: »

Romelu Lukaku surely worth a mention here?

Born in Belgium to an international footballer, pretty sure someone would have noticed if he was lying about his age

GavRedKing

thelad95 wrote: »

Ouch. He does look a lot older than 19/20 though.

Very true, he doesnt look like a lot of guys his age and physique and stature, hes being the same since he was about 16.

eagle eye

Wolf Club wrote: »

Yeah. i always thought that was mental. He seemed to peak at Inter at 17! Was well passed it when he left Newcastle at the ripe old age of 25.

You mean 21? He is apparently only 26 years old now!

Chris The Hacker

Looks close to his age here:



Lukaku is just a big horse of a man who hit puberty hard at a young age.

CSF

thelad95 wrote: »

Romelu Lukaku surely worth a mention here?

Because he is black and big?

thelad95

CSF wrote: »

Because he is black and big?

Had it i my head for some reason he was from Nigeria and moved to Belgium

dreamers75

http://www.101greatgoals.com/blog/only-12-years-old-cameroonian-boris-thako-towers-head-shoulders-above-his-hercules-teammates-pictures/



12

Frankie Lee

dreamers75 wrote: »

http://www.101greatgoals.com/blog/only-12-years-old-cameroonian-boris-thako-towers-head-shoulders-above-his-hercules-teammates-pictures/



12

Happens in other sports too.