Why Making Fun Of African Players’ Age Needs To Stop 

I'm African but that guy doesn't look 17 him being African has nothing to do with it I can't blame people for thinking he is 42

As an african who's very interested in football I can tell it's a thing, we don't get to play in academies from the age of 8, we get into the game relatively very late

If Halaand was African no one would believe he was 19 when he scored 9 goals in one match at U-20. When Nigeria won the U-17 WC in 2015 people said they cheated even though FIFA started using bone density scanners on players after 2013. If you looked at the pictures of the players that won like Osimhen & Chukwueze it is clear they were under 17.

I'm African and this isn't racism lots of African players lie about their age for football and this man is clearly not 17.

My friend is 26 and his older brother who is going pro is 17 🙂🙂🙂

African or not falsifying age isn't proper. When a 16 old looks older than my father It's normal for doubts to surface And when there is a way to clear that doubt We go for it🙂 The only area I think people go wrong is when they generalise it that all africans falsify their age

One point that was missed: Some players genuinely do not know their age because its not something that they track. Growing up in Africa, i’ve met so many people that told me they genuinely don’t know their age, some poor people and some people in rural areas don’t document and keep count of their age, some people don’t even know how many days there are in a year. Many people don’t even have a piece of ID because they spend most of their lives without needing it. So I think there has to be a nuanced approach when dealing with these cases, I don’t know if there are any FIFA rules on the issue, but there should be a criterion to attempt to atleast approximate a player’s age objectively, maybe using medical exams, if its the case that a player doesn’t know his true age as opposed to just making up an age or if a player’s age is deemed suspicious.

Okay but did you see Lukaku's height at 12? The man was twice every other player's heights so he obviously looks older It sucks that this has to continue for too many African players though

My African friend from Cameroon told that many players forge their identity documents to reduce their ages for football. And in Africa it’s not hard at all to do such things.

As a final year optometry student in Nigeria, my research involved conducting vision screening in professional football clubs in order to find out prevalent vision problems. Being a medical research, the true age of the players was required. Then I ask: how old are you? I get a response like "my real age or my footballing age?" Then I found out that the footballing age is usually lesser than the real age sometimes even 10 years lesser! I know there may be different motivations for this -considering the poverty level of these players, but pointing out facts is not racist. The truth will make you free.

The struggle is real for African players 🙅🏽‍♂️😔

It comes from truth tho! Lots of players in Africa don’t know there own age because there are no legal records

There's a lot of stories of people actually lying about their age to get into youth teams. I dont think it has anything to do with the region the person is from but rather that this happens in general.

The Chukwuka man made a very good point. Age can be just a number. Africans have been discriminated and it is so painful. For me who is still coming up chasing pro I hope God will help and see me through to top Professional football. Amen

Bro thanks 🙏👍 alot for making this video it's really good at least you are speaking on maters that people usually brush aside.

I know a player from the Cameroonian national team who has reduced his age (2-3 years). How? He was the classmate of a former colleague. They used to play football at school regularly. The player even confessed that it was either football or theft for him. Not to say his case is representative of what everyone does. But it's just to confirm that the phenomenon still exists. By the way, Justin didn't talk about the problem of jealousy: sometimes, when a player was selected to play for Europe, his club would do everything to sabotage him, unless they received some fees.

I’m from South America and I believe African players in the upcoming years will build a strong team that is amongst europes best. They are genetically more fit than others and have insane speed. I feel like with proper training and a proper mentors an African country has a chance to win a World Cup .

What needs to stop is vídeos like this one

Thanks a lot for this video, being a Nigerian, it's very informative to others out there

CONGRATSNON 3M MAN GOOD JOB KEPEIT UP

One of our highschool player came from Nigeria and he became best player of our team in Europe you can tell he had a bigger frame, great overall physical and high IQ which made him look older but he is just a kid when you get to know him. African players are best players ever since we got few we won 🏆. African players are special people will hate wise coach once told me people have jealosy or hate because its reverse admiration. That should be motivation for all African players to keep pushing forward.

It boils down to the very human nature of trying find faults among the other participants in a competitive environment. A prime example is f1 and the DAS or the Double Diffuser! These were phenomenal innovations which were a result of clever engineering and teams either protested or copied them. Now in case of human performance, the line that separates the variables of an athlete's abilities is very blurry. African players or athletes are by default very very fit physically, and have phenomenal stamina and strength. These together create a potent mix of a solid foundation to channel all the focus into developing the other areas of the game (football in this case): skill and technique. Now this natural ability also has effects on the overall image of the player. And image is something we human beings are very conscious about. I am from India (one of the most image conscious countries in the world, obsessed with beauty standards) and I am an architect and designer. Two things that are very obvious is that when the image hits you right, it is widely accepted. If it doesn't and gets in the way of you achieving your goal, then its cancelled. In case of football, where so many want to come in and make a mark and so few make it through, this image plays a vital role. I've seen African players in our league who train in my city and I was baffled at their ability to keep on working out in the hot humid climate of our city. I talked with one of them and he said he was 23 and I kid you not I thought he was atleast 7 or 8 years older. And he was new to the country. Now if I were to train with him without prior knowledge, his physique alone would demotivate me by making me think, how am I in my half ass 5'7" skeletal frame be able to rub shoulders with literally a wall! The max I'd be able to do would be to bump my shoulders against is ribs and bounce off and collapse! At the end of the day it's the athlete's own image, which are just his or her natural self, that really gets questioned even though the person has no way broken the rules.

The Rock look like undercover cop when he's fifteen. What's the big deal?

There shouldn’t be negativity around investigating players age and f it something that has been known to be falsified by players in the past. It is like how we treat performance enhancing drugs. If you cheat they will and should catch you.

Lying about age needs to stop, ridiculous to ask people to spot making fun of players of their age. No one cares if their African or not, but if someone looks 30 and claims they are 17 then obviously people will make fun of them. Just happens that it’s more common in African players as it’s a way to get a move.

Thanks for this video

As an African i knoe the story bout age, it happens a bit down here in our land and i don't think it matters where you're born really bout just the skin tone. Pple shld just be more understanding n not jump to conclusions n check their facts.

Cannot stop and I sure as hell won’t stop

Don't stop, keep it well and going!

I accuse Cristiano Ronaldo of being around 27 because he is better than most youngsters rn lol

Players of African origin sometimes get accused of lying about their ages. A top star like Romelu Lukaku even had to have his mom bring his birth certificate to games when he was a kid because he was accused of lying about his age.

Nigeria has the best Young prospects... they can be tracked if only the scouts do their homework properly

I think age should only be considered at the youth levels or tournaments. But when it comes to senior football, Clubs shouldn't sign players based on their age rather players should be signed with respect to their talent, contribution and physical ability. Coming from Africa, I've always had the dream to play professional football but the African system doesn't provide young players with the right infrastructure to develop our game. Most of us learn the game by watching RU-vid videos where as our European counterparts are already in football academies before the age of 10. Odds are very much against you as an African so most players try to beat the odd by reducing their ages because no European Club is willing to sign a 30 year old player irrespective of your talent level or physical ability. I'm in my mid 20's and I still train and play with the hope of becoming a pro one day. Yeah, I know the odds are against me but I won't stop. I still have a lot to give and I haven't reached my prime yet. I know many 36, 37 .... and 40 year olds in my local club that still play football with good fitness you will think they are are still in their in early 20's. AGE IS JUST A NUMBER JUDGE PLAYERS BY THEIR TALENT LEVEL AND CONTRIBUTION AND NOT BT THIER AGE.

Let them say bad or anything about Africa but no country can beat the African talent especially in dance or sports

W from Oh My Goal

You should check out the case of "Maradona" Barrios in Peru, as he signed an older ecuadorian guy making him play as a 20 year old in Peru.

Curious as to the ratio of academic development in comparison to learning from playing street ball. It seems fairly equal if not that the more talented individuals blossom naturally on the streets regardless.

I have also come across a fake agent who showed interest in me but asked me $7000 in order to take me for trials in Turkey Am a Ugandan.

Age tells the investing club how much "shelve live" you still have and where your "productivity" should be. These 2 values correlate in a graf that states where you are and where you could/should be for your age and productivity. It is like the millage on a car.

Oh my goal tell us so much Football information!!!

This is fascinating

This is true lol, my partner for 3 years just recently told me her real age, she is 25, but on her passport it says 35, In Nigeria they forge it easy,

The truth has been spoken: 6:15 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Touch on Kelechi Nwakali's story vs Huesca

If that dude is 17, then my Grandpa is presently 14.

Porto and Sporting fans did the same to Renato Sanches when he started playing for Benfica's first team

when i was 14 there was a soccer player on another team who could grow a beard and did. he just looked older. so what. some people look younger than they are. AND some people DO lie about their age. up or down.

Thanks for taking a stand against discrimination Oh My Goal!

It doesn’t need to stop. I know a guy who played with 16 yr olds when he was 21.

The thing with Age and African players is this.... when young lads, who don't eat nutritiously well, and train and play matches under very harsh sunny and dry weather... it is only natural, that they start looking older than the general society expects them to look like under normal conditions... some of this poor lads start street trading even before getting to 10, no proper rest, if in Lagos, they are out on the streets as early as maybe 5am and are out there selling up until like midnight... then inbetween, they squeeze out time to go play football... if everyone on earth can be put thru these rigours, I'm sure we'd be having a different conversation

This is such a reach’s I’m African and people lie about their age. Some don’t even know their age and guess. When I visited when I was 12, playing football with 20 year olds claiming they’re 15

As a Nigerian, I must confess. The only Nigerians who use the right age are the ones born abroad. This is the reason we never do well in senior competitions

They have a good track of lying about their age could it be the reason why we doubt them and at times make fun of it?

I can see that the comment section are already filled with some racist people who kind of don't care about this situation and are just making this situation not helpful.

you should talk abou Gali too (a 17 year old timorese footballer captain of timor leste national team), he plays in aff u 17, aff u19, u23, and the senior one, his face looks so much older (He might fake his age)

Bruno is back , hehe Feeling sad that you got eliminated from the UCL though 😭😭

This happens in India too. Many of our newly turned pro with official age of 18/19 are actually 25+

As an African, I can confirm that we do that. How come we will win youth world cups, even world cups but our talented youth players are going down around 23 and are retired by 26/27

Happened also with Kessie

I 100% agree with the point he made. Age is taken as a way bigger factor in player development than it should actually be. It should've and always should be if the player is good enough to compete with the pros, he's old enough full stop

Thank you guys so much for this, the discrimination is immense

feel like this will age badly - I think there are a lot of cases where they say a player is 17 so people think they're incredibly developed for a 17 y/o and think by 25 they'll be a machine thus making them worth major money, however they're already 25+ and that is their prime - I think this will come out in the future for sure especially from players coming from countries with far less developed record-keeping than some first world countries.

Meanwhile east asians be like: I'm 42. People: No you’re 17.

That not racism lol, the guy just looks old af for a 17 year old so its weird.

Here in Somalia, my friends and people in general make fun of the age of African players simply bcz he doesn't look like he is that age. They joke about it 😡😡😡 and I dont like it. Football is all about respect.

At least African players can play football unlike the Indian players we not allowed to play by fifa

Bro here's the thing there's a lot off white footballers that look 40 and there are some black footballers that look like 40 not an African or European thing is a people thing there's a player in hoffeinhein that look 40 but it's 20 it's normal

C'mon guys, so you mean he looks 40 but he has energy of a 20 year old boy. This is stupid it has to STOP.

I am african and lying about the age on papers to get accepted is very present more than you think especially if you’re talented. People will bribe the right people to get your papers changed. This dude right here don’t look 17 in that picture. I understand some people look grown while young buy this is definitely not the case. But his bones got checked ? well again if you know the right people the truth is what you say it is

Thank you so much for shining light on this important but often neglected subject

Yeah everything people say is offensive only not when it’s against white and asian people

Make a video of Vincent Aboubakar and Christian Bassogog. I'm from Cameroon and I Know they are more than their age

Look into this thing. Why African players are thought of more physically talented while European players are person as mentally talented... I think there's this thing.. Thanks for reading. Assuming that u will read this 👊🏼 ___________________________________________________ I'm glad someone is talking about this.. I remember being 14 and looking older and the parents of the kids I would play with would say hurtful things. Like aren't you too old to play with Kevin. (made up name). older women would hit on me it was werid AF I do understand I was 6ft by then I'm 6.2ft now BUT I behaved like a child like a 14 year old BOY. I WAS IN, class 7 which is a high class for a 14 year old. But people always thought I failed the exam and was hailed back a couple of years... Love playing football but didn't feel comfortable playing with my agemates bc I feel awkward so I played with the older boys and made friends with them.. I trun out OK.. ALHAMDULILLAH. AND GREW TO LOVE MY BODY.. BUT I CAN UNDERSTAND THE EFFECT THIS KIND OF THING CAN HAVE ON CHILDREN.. My advice don't be Kevin's mom (again made up name 🤣✌🏽)

17 is that in dog years, he must have had a rough paper round a million times over

That’ is saying like I am 5 years old cause I am dwarf “Sad”

Cuando estaba en la prepa había un compañero que se parecía mucho a Minala, le decíamos "El Apá" XDDD

They have to stop lying about their age as well.

Why is it wrong for scepticism? People don't just claim someone is older when they don't look it, imagine having a man play against a bunch of teenagers. It's unfair. This doesn't just happen with "African" players, it has happened all around the world. I recall how in south America for the U21 world cup qualifiers, Peru had a naturalized Ecuadorian player who claimed he was 17, when he was actually older than 20 and was sanctioned and kicked off the team. This has nothing to do with African players but the unfairness of having men play against developing players.

African players are talented⭐️

I think of Arjen Robben vs Stephen Gerald

"Even if he stops today, he'll go down a legend." No, he won't. Lol.

Please where can I contact you In person Let me know

Saying that only African players deal with this is a problem too

I'm an African From South Africa🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦 But age fraud Is very rife

I mean let’s be real , Africans and African Americans have some dope ass genetics, period !!!!

No way that African player is 17 years old, he looks atleast above 30 years old & in place like Africa it's easy to make multiple fake birth certificates. Let's not play race card here. The guy looks older or same as Kolou toure,Viera,sol Campbell etc. About Romelu Lukaku he must be having a huge physicality & height but by looking at his face we can know he is a kid (back in 2012) same goes for other African ethnic players like Saka, Sterling, Vinicius,Iheanacho,Isak,Yaya sanogo many many more for example they looked like kids of their age. It's not about skin colour & we are not fools to unable to recognise a kid & an adult.

Anywhere they go declared that they below 20yrs old…😂😂😂

When we talk about age and productivity look at CR7, Thiago Silva, Thiago, Pepe, Dani Alves, Modric, Allison many footballers playing at the "age of retirement" some are playing at their peak I mean also Salah is playing at a age in which most players retire but his at his peak. I think the issue of age has to revised too in football.

some is racism and some is not. people used to mock lukaku when he was 16 talkin about he looks older but now at 30 he still looks the same.. and looking younger than some of the European anglo age mates who are the same age or younger. with that said in Africa a lot of players has done age cheating in the past but Africa due to Fifa putting pressure have been forced to curb the age cheating. with age testing..

Thing is, it’s us Africans who complain!! Bro this thing of being a 25 year old wonder kid must stop

Am African and i can tell you people here do that alot... A country can have alot of talents at 16yrs but they decid to put a 20yr old

I am white as one can be, born and raised in Europe, when I was 16 I played for u14 team under different name, I was a lot taller and stronger of course, but had kinda baby face, it happens a lot in lower leagues and not just with African players.

It’s sad you don’t see African players getting enough recognition just because they are from Africa, that’s we you see sooo many young Africans trying to play for an African national team even though they are from an African country

What do you mean. It's very common among African players to show their age 3-5 years younger to get more attention on the international stages

Lukaku a legend? That’s the only problem I saw with the video. Besides that, great vid

Mans look 65...

Yall act like your parents didn't tell you to lie about your ages just to get a discount 😒

As an African i can tell you this isn't racism but just true 🤣 we have something know as real age and "football age" many of us don't get into academies early at 8 ir 10 years old, lukaku is just normal but man that dude at the beginning clearly aint 17

I agree

i didn't know dani alves knew so much about african players