Joseph Minala: true age and history of the footballer – International Football – Sports

In mid-2013, the Cameroonian Joseph Minala He was highlighted in the Italian press as the great promise of the Lazio youth team.

His remarkable participation in the minor divisions led him to be enrolled for 2014 in the first team ‘biancocelesti’ despite the fact that he only had 17 years.

The opportunity to be summoned in the official ‘squadra’ came to him for a derby ‘della capitale’ against Roma.

There couldn’t be a better time.

However, his public irruption that day turned out very different from what was expected.

Rather than create comments for his talent on the ball, the general response was a wave of criticism and teased about their physical appearance.

The wrinkles in the face and his developed musculature they were the precise target for rival fans to claim that Minala had lied about her age.

Then a post from a Senegal portal gave the storm more force:

“I’m not 17 years old, I’m 42”, they reviewed what the footballer had said.

The avalanche of Football ‘Benjamin Button’ it started then and hasn’t stopped yet.

So your passport certifies that you were born on August 24, 1996 …

(You may be interested: Zlatan Ibrahimovic: the ‘9’ who stole bicycles and proclaimed himself a ‘God’).

The double punishment of a young migrant

Joseph Minala grew up in a family without much comfort in Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon.

His passion for soccer was presented as the ideal opportunity to overcome poverty.

At the age of 14 he came to Italy to join the ranks of the modest Atletic Citta Dei Ragazzi, an amateur club.

He then went through two other semi-professional teams and reached the bottom of Lazio, one of the most traditional in Italy.

His promising talent was certified in the eagle team thanks to the title he obtained in the Regional Youth Tournament, in 2013.

By then, some of the parents of the young people against whom he was competing already pointed out that seemed a little older. His face was the main focus of criticism.

In the midst of these accusations, he was part of Napoli’s 2014 preseason, but was not hired.

Lazio received him back and registered him in the first team.

(Also: Maradona: abuse, drugs and the darkest thing that has been known after his death).

On February 9, 2014 it was the first call de Minala in Serie A. His team drew 0-0 with AS Roma and, unfortunately, the biggest news was his face.

“Minala is older than Lazio”the ‘giallorossi’ fans protested angrily.

“The curious case of Benjamin Minala”, parodied on social networks with the film character of ‘Benjamin Button’.

The player received expletives and comments doubting his age.

And the publication of the Senegalese portal came in which they said that he had agreed to be over 40 years old. That was the trigger: everything got worse.

The rumors gained a national echo and they began to demand a formal investigation about your identity documents.

“For us there is no controversy or anything to clarify. There will be no investigation. The boy is happy and wants to continue playing and not be disturbed,” said Stefano De Martino, Lazio’s press officer at the time.

“They are speculations, now Joseph is calm. Had a difficult childhoodThat’s the point, ”said Diego Tavano, who was the player’s agent.

“Envy is the weakness of man and of people with a poor soul,” Minala himself closed at that time on his Twitter account.

But the investigation had to continue.

(Do not stop reading: Mohamed Salah will be a subject in the schools of Egypt).

The truth of his age

“In reference to the press reports that appeared on the age of the footballer Joseph Minala, the absolute legitimacy of the documentation submitted to federal agencies is confirmed. In addition, a new attempt by hostile circles to shed a sinister light on the work is denounced. of the club and the players, and reserves the right to take action against those responsible for the protection of the good name of the club and the player, “Lazio reported at the time of the controversy in a press release.

Even so, the Italian Federation continued with its own investigation. But the information was accurate: Milana was born on August 24, 1996.

That was the first avalanche that reached there.

In April 2014, with the number 58 on his back, Minala made his Lazio debut.

“Yesterday I played in the street for pure pleasure without shoes, today I play with the ‘first shirt’ of the capital”, he wrote in a message with a photo of his first games.

Minala continued to be part of Lazio until August 2014. That month, despite his good performance, he was loaned to Bari, then in the second Italian division.

From there he starred in a true rampage through smaller clubs in Italy.

His youthful success became fleeting.

(Also read: The tomb of Diego Armando Maradona: the privacy that the ‘D10S’ never had).

The promise that could not finish taking off

Although it is impossible to establish a direct relationship with the controversy of his ageSome fans have found in this ‘boom’ the reasons for their decline.

At present, the trace of that scandal is still present in various comments on social networks.

In 2020, Minala’s journey, which could well be considered his ‘downturn’, led him to chinese football.

A couple of months ago he returned to Italy to play for Lucchese, a Serie C team.

His presentation was like a movie. “From China: ‘Bruce Lee'”, was read in the peculiar official announcement.

His team has been in existence for less than two years after being restructured.

Perhaps in this new club, the Cameroonian, now 25, could have a second rebirth, because, although the fans call him old, he is still quite young.

And your passport confirms it.

More news

The ‘Pibe’ and the most bizarre changes of ‘look’ in Colombian football

The players who were revelations in the history of the World Cup

These are the Llaneros players who are singled out for letting Magdalena win

‘We all have to be critical’: Alejandro Restrepo

Part of a luxurious Cristiano Ronaldo mansion will be demolished, why?

Trends THE WEATHER