Speaking by telephone from Suzhou, where his new team Qingdao Huanghai are playing in a ‘bubble’ to thwart the coronavirus, Minala said: “I would have had a different career (without this controversy). [6], On 25 August 2014 it was announced that Minala would join on loan Serie B side Bari for the 2014–15 season. Joseph Minala made headlines for all the wrong reasons when he signed for Lazio in 2014, claiming to be aged just 17. The Huffington Post UK Joseph Minala, the Lazio youth teamer, could take legal action following questions over his age. To personalise content, tailor ads and provide best user experience, we use cookies. The Italian FA, following an investigation, have confirmed that the player in question is indeed 17. “I keep going on with my life, despite everything people have tried to do against me,” said Minala, who has ambitions of playing for Cameroon’s national team. You can unsubscribe at any time. First name Joseph Last name Minala Nationality Cameroon Date of birth 24 August 1996 Age 24 Country of birth Cameroon Place of birth Yaoundé Position Midfielder Minala began playing for amateur club Vigor Perconti and attracted the attention of Napoli, who gave him a two-month trial. Joseph Minala does not wish to dwell on the bizarre age claim which propelled him into the headlines in 2014, but there is just no getting away from it. Minala began playing for amateur club Vigor Perconti and attracted the attention of Napoli, who gave him a two-month trial. This is because when an African football website shared shock claims that he was in fact 42-years-old, Minala soon became the talk of the footballing world. Birth Sign Virgo. The player was spotted as a talented youngster in Cameroon, and a former player who was also an agent promised him a trial at AC Milan. Birthday August Aug 24, 1996 . Joseph Minala does not wish to dwell on the bizarre age claim which propelled him into the headlines in 2014, but there is just no getting away from it. “This is an image that some people unfortunately have of me,” Minala added. That's not the case for Joseph Minala, the 18-year-old who looks way older than his actual age. Joseph Minala: Italian FA confirms Lazio player is 17, not 42. Minala was a budding star at Italian giants Lazio when a report out of Senegal claimed that he was not aged 17, as he said, but 41. Most Popular. “A lot of people expected me to stop playing or go crazy.”, By Qingdao Huanghai's Joseph Minala played in Italy as a teenager. He is 24 years old and is a Virgo. Joseph Marie Minala is a Cameroonian footballer who plays as a midfielder for Italian club Latina on loan from Lazio. Lazio forced to release birth certificate of 17-year-old Joseph Minala, which they claim is "absolutely legitimate", following a report by Senagalese media that he is in fact 41. [20][21], Minala played for Cameroon at under-23 level in their unsuccessful qualification campaign for the 2015 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations. [4], Minala broke into Lazio's senior team on 16 March 2014, when he was an unused substitute in the match against Cagliari. Joseph Minala does not wish to dwell on the bizarre age claim which propelled him into the headlines in 2014, but there is just no getting away from it. When Arjen Robben joined Chelsea, he was only 20 years old. “Sometimes people prefer to ignore that I’m a good player and only point out that aspect of me.”. Usually, when we read about a young footballer, it’s because of their high levels of potential or exciting style of play, but when 17-year-old Joseph Minala made the news, the story was very different. [22], "Lazio threaten legal action over Minala age claims", "Lazio threaten legal action after claims Cameroon 17 year-old Joseph Minala is actually 41", Joseph Minala: Lazio respond to false age claims of teenager, "Joseph Minala: Italian FA confirms Lazio youth player is 17", "Lazio vs. Sampdoria - 6 April 2014 - Soccerway", http://www.fcbari1908.club/mercato-minala-ss-lazio-titolo-temporaneo/, "Cittadella-Bari 0-1: Minala regala il successo ai galletti nel finale", "BARI-LATINA 1-0, NERAZZURRI POCO PERICOLOSI E MINALA BEFFA DI GENNARO", "Serie B: colpaccio Spezia, il Bari affonda", "Bari-Bologna 1-1, le pagelle dei biancorossi: muro Guarna, disastro Minala", "Lazio, Braafheid rinnova fino al 2016. He joined Lazio in the summer of 2013. Joseph Minala Net Worth, Biography, Age, Height, Dating, Relationship Records, Salary, Income, Cars, Lifestyles & many more details have been updated below.He has played alongside Lucas Biglia, who is the team captain, as his teammate on the Lazio Italian Serie A club.Let's check, How Rich is Joseph Minala in 2020-2021? “I didn’t know anyone, I didn’t know where to go, I wanted to tell my story to the police and return to my country,” he recalled. After one year as a youth player at Napoli there was interest from Juventus, AC Milan and Inter Milan, he says, but in 2013 he joined Lazio’s under-19 squad. The midfielder's features certainly made him look older than a teenager. At the start of this year he moved to Qingdao on loan, but the coronavirus pandemic delayed his debut until last month. Joseph Minala does not wish to dwell on the bizarre age claim which propelled him into the headlines in 2014, but there is just no getting away from it. At the age of 21, Minala probably would have been expecting to be a first-team regular at Lazio after making his debut at the age of 17 and in the Cameroonian national side. Minala turned 24 last month and is now playing in the Chinese Super League, but the midfielder says that he cannot shake off the stigma. Mino Raiola, the high-profile agent who represents Paul Pogba and a slew of other stars, spotted Minala playing in amateur football in the Rome region and took him south to Napoli. Pochettino opens up about Messi's Barcelona future. E Minala va in prestito al Latina", "LATINA-PAVIA 1-4, PESANTE SCONFITTA DEI NERAZZURRI: ELIMINATI DALLA COPPA ITALIA", "Latina-Ternana 1-2, doppietta di Furlan ed è riscatto rossoverde: prima vittoria esterna", "UFFICIALE – Joseph Minala è un nuovo giocatore del Bari (Foto)", "Joseph Minala è un giocatore della Salernitana", "UFFICIALE: Salernitana, dalla Lazio torna Joseph Minala", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Joseph_Minala&oldid=1015976869, Cameroonian expatriate sportspeople in Italy, Cameroonian expatriate sportspeople in China, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 31 December 2020, This page was last edited on 4 April 2021, at 18:05. Age 24 years old. A definite talent, I think he’s already proven he has the grit that is needed for him to succeed – something that has let others down, Freddy Adu for example. Joseph Minala, the Lazio midfielder who fell under official investigation after it was claimed he was a 42-year-old masquerading as a youth team player, has joined FC Bari on a one-year loan deal. [1] He joined Lazio in the summer of 2013. Minala was a budding star at Italian giants Lazio when a report out of Senegal claimed that he was not aged 17, as he said, but 41. And when an African football website shared shock claims that he was in fact 42-years-old, Minala soon became the talk of the footballing world. Joseph Minala hit the headlines in 2014 when he joined Lazio as a 17-year-old hoping to break into the first-team. The allegation gained traction because Minala’s rugged appearance and well-developed physique made him look significantly older. Their firm backing of Joseph Marie Minala came after it was alleged that the 17-year-old was in fact 41. [5] “I’m good at baking. Harry Kane made PSG's top target if Mbappe, Neymar leave, Mbappe makes declaration on PSG future after scoring hat-trick at Barcelona, Will PSG sign Messi? He was spotted by Lazio scouts in 2013, while representing the region of Lazio in the Trofeo delle Regioni. Minala lived in the housing centre with other youths and it was there that he trained to do another job in case his football dreams failed to materialise. Latest on Lazio midfielder Joseph Minala including news, stats, videos, highlights and more on - ESPN [16] In January 2016, he rejoined Bari. 29/05/14 11:13am December 2, 2018 3:38 pm. “In the end, it was a scam that I never understood.” Not knowing what to do, Minala went to a police station. Subscribe to our newsletter and stay updated on the latest developments and special offers! Popularity . [8] He scored two more goals,[9][10] and was also sent off twice. Boost Birthday August Aug 24, 1996. Both Lazio and the player denied the claims. Mbappe 'wants to leave PSG' as transfer plan comes to light. He then made his full Serie A debut on 6 April 2014, replacing Senad Lulić for the last 13 minutes of a 2–0 home win against Sampdoria. Birthplace Yaounde, Cameroon. [2], In early 2014, Minala then made news when his age was publicly disputed by multiple parties. An African website had reported that the midfielder lied about his age He was subjected to cruel ridicule on social media. Joseph Minala: his birthday, what he did before fame, his family life, fun trivia facts ... random; Joseph Minala Soccer Player #141998. Minala was accoused of being 25 years older than his actual age back in 2014. His parents spent “a lot of money” to finance the trip to Italy, but after arriving the 14-year-old Minala found himself stranded at a Rome train station. [18] “I only knew two words of Italian. Joseph Minala. Your information will be used in accordance with our Privacy Notice. “It held back my career and is (still) holding back my career,” the Cameroonian tells AFP. Joseph Minala was born in Yaounde, Cameroon on Saturday, August 24, 1996 (Millennials Generation). “I was told that people were coming to pick me up for the trial but I waited an hour, an hour-and-a-half, and still no one was there,” he said. However, due to his thinning hair and grizzled features, he looked at least 10 years older. Lazio midfielder Joseph Minala has been cleared to resume his career after proving he's not a 42-year-old masquerading as a youth team player. Just 20 years of age, Joseph Minala has had one of the weirdest starts to football ever, so it’s no surprise that he may have unravelled slightly. I was abandoned at the station with my two suitcases and a mobile phone without a SIM card in it. “But since I was an unaccompanied minor, they took me to a hospital for tests, then to a social welfare centre and I was enrolled in an Italian school. By using our site, you agree to use our cookies. Maybe after football, I’ll open a bakery, you never know,” he laughed. Nyar Gor’s love for Gor Mahia is irresistible, Wanga: 'Ghost' is a man with amazing football wisdom, Kiprop wants to run for national team one last time. He will spend this season with Qingdao and is unsure what will happen when his contract expires in June 2021 at Lazio, where he has made a handful of first-team appearances. Italian FA confirms Lazio youth player Joseph Minala is 17 and not 42 This article is more than 6 years old • Cameroonian midfielder was accused of being 42 • ‘There are no doubts about his age. [19], On 28 February 2020, Minala signed with Chinese club Qingdao Huanghai on loan until 31 December 2020. Joseph Minala does not wish to dwell on the bizarre age claim which propelled him into the headlines in 2014, but there is just no getting away from it. Joseph-Marie Minala (born 24 August 1996)[1] is a Cameroonian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Italian club Lazio. Joseph Minala finally speaks about his real age after his career was rocked by reports that he was 41 He scored against Sierra Leone in a 1–1 draw on 30 May 2015, but Cameroon were eliminated in the second round on away goals. He was spotted by Lazio scouts in 2013, while representing the region of Lazio in the Trofeo delle Regioni. [7] On 13 December 2014, as a 73rd-minute substitute for Marco Augusto Romizi, he scored his first career goal, the last-minute decider in an away victory over Cittadella. Watch European Football with beIN SPORTS and ESPN on Kayo. But Italy’s football association conducted an investigation and concluded that he was telling the truth. Select from premium Joseph Minala of the highest quality. [3] In May 2014, the Italian FA completed their investigation into the claims, confirming the accuracy of his given age and announcing that no disciplinary action would be taken against him or Lazio. Take a quick survey and help us improve our website. Joseph Minala: Lazio insist African striker is 17, despite rumours he is actually 41. [13][14] He made his debut on 9 August 2015, starting in a 4–1 home defeat to Lega Pro team Pavia in the first round of the Coppa Italia. Birthplace Yaounde, Cameroon. It was a year later that the claims were made about his age and he then made several loan moves, notably to Bari and Salernitana in Italy’s second tier. Cameroon midfielder, Joseph Minala has been at the centre of a storm about his age. Ben Ahenda and Rodgers Eshitemi | 3 hours ago. Joseph Minala, the 17-year-old Cameroonian footballer on the books at Lazio, has been the centre of a storm recently. False 'Age 41' Claim Held Back My Career, Says Football's Minala. [17], On 21 January 2017, Minala joined Serie B side Salernitana on loan with an option to buy. [11][12], On 6 July 2015, Minala was again loaned to a Serie B team, Latina. [15] He scored his first goal for the team on 27 October 2015, equalising in a 2–1 loss to Ternana at the Stadio Domenico Francioni. Qingdao Huanghai's Joseph Minala played in Italy as a teenager 2/4 False 'age 41' claim held back my career, says football's Minala Minala was accused of being in his forties when he was just 17 Robben was … Find the perfect Joseph Minala stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. “I had opportunities at some clubs (to move there), but I think it didn’t happen because of this business,” he said. On 16 January 2019, he returned to the same club on loan for the rest of the season. Lazio youth team player Joseph Marie Minala has revealed how he was abandoned in Rome before joining the club, while he insists he is not lying about his age. Minala did not lie about age The Italian Football Association has ruled Lazio midfielder Joseph Minala is in fact 17 and not 42 as was reported. Can PSG avenge Champions League final loss against Bayern? Minala’s agent at the time explained that Minala looked older because of his difficult back story, which includes a spell in an Italian care home. “I had the opportunity to go to France, I had the opportunity to go to Paris Saint-Germain at the time... but it didn’t happen.”. Lazio have threatened legal action against those who have questioned the legitimacy of the age of their 17-year-old Cameroonian player Joseph Minala. Many of you will be familiar with the name, Joseph Minala. You’ll certainly be familiar with the picture of him in his Lazio kit. 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