A Senegalese football player has admitted to lying about his age to become a professional football player.
Guirane N’Daw, who has played at clubs such as Birmingham City Ipswich Town and Real Zaragoza during his 17-year football career, made the revelation in a recent interview.
Speaking to IGFM, N’Daw said: “Senegalese [players] are generally very small and when he goes to Europe at 20, he will see that young people of 15 are stronger than him.
“Like all Senegalese, I lowered my age to be professional. In Africa, the player who does not lower his age cannot be professional [in Europe], it’s a reality.”
During the interview, N’Daw also claimed that in Senegal, “99% of players have reduced their age”.
After retiring at the age of “31” in 2016, N’Daw returned to football where he is now playing for AS Algrange, a French sixth division club.
He didn’t reveal his real age in the interview.