Joseph Minala: What happened to the Lazio wonderkid who was reportedly 42? | OneFootball

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Joseph Minala, the Lazio wonderkid who was accused of being 42, has signed for a new club. If you haven't heard of him, let us tell you his incredibly bizarre story.

The Cameroonian footballer made headlines in 2013 when he signed for Lazio at the age of 17. However, he was immediately accused of being 42. There can be no denying that Minala looked very mature for someone born in 1996. However, that led to people wrongly accusing him of lying about his age.

Minala was accused of being 42

An African football website even suggested that the midfielder was 25 years older than he was (42-years-old). This actually led to an official investigation from the Italian Football Association.

However, in April 2014, he was cleared of any wrongdoing and Minala could continue with his football career. Now that the legal battle was over, Minala looked to fulfil his incredible potential and made his Serie A debut at 17. Big things were expected of him.

At the time, Lazio said: “We denounce this attempt from hostile figures to throw a sinister light on this club. We reserve the right to take action against those responsible for the protection of the club and its players.”

Meanwhile, his a journalist covering Lazio youth football said the claims were 'unbelievable.'

Max Evangelista defended Minala by saying: "He is a very reactive player. You could never say he is 41. When you are surrounded by players running like devils around you, in my opinion it is very tough to be 41. He runs, he is fast. It is unbelievable news, that is why Lazio felt the need to deny it.

"He was in an orphanage for a couple of years in Cameroon, then he had to face the situation here by himself. It is a controversial story because the face of the player is not that of a 17-year-old guy.

"On his face there is sign of his previous life, which was not a happy life. That is it. Period. There is nothing else that makes you think he is 41.

"He is a kid with the head of a kid. He only wants to play football as he did on the road years ago barefoot. That is the only thing he is focused on and being a talent because he is a talent."

What happened to Joseph Minala?

But despite making three appearances at the end of the 2013/14 campaign for Lazio, his career hasn’t panned out the way he was hoping.

He was loaned out to several Serie B clubs including Bari and Latina before spending three consecutive seasons at Salernitana. Despite playing 67 times for the club in Serie B, they opted not to take the option of a permanent deal and Minala went back to Lazio.

Chinese Super League club Qingdao Huanghai offered him a loan deal for the 2020 season. However, the midfielder’s luck didn’t really change as he played 15 times in the league as the side finished 7th out of eight teams. At the end of his loan in China in January 2021, Minala once again returned to Lazio and his contract ended at the end of the 2020/21 campaign.

He signed a one-year contract at Lucchese in Serie C (Group B) and played 20 times, scoring three goals. However, he left the club last summer and his future, at the age of 26, was uncertain.

He did find a new club, though, as he attempted to resurrect his stalling career. He remained in the same division to sign for Olbia on a one-year contract in August. Unfortunately for Minala, he was released by mutual consent in January.

Minala has now signed for a new club

Was Minala's career over? No, he's still not 27 and the midfielder is refusing to hang up his boots just yet. He may have gone several months without a club but he's just found a new one. In fact, he's signed for the most successful club in a country. Okay, that country is Malta but still...

That's right, Minala has signed for Sliema Wanderers FC and, in a statement, the club said: "We are delighted to announce the exciting addition of Cameroonian defensive midfielder, Joseph Minala to our team.

"Having already played for some top-level clubs throughout his career including Lazio, Bari and Salernitana, Joseph will surely bring a wealth of talent and experience to our squad.

Sliema have won the Maltese Premier League a record 26 times but not since the 2004/05 campaign. In fact, they were disastrously relegated from the top-flight after a dismal 2021/22 season. But they bounced back immediately, winning the title with ease after 24 wins and three draws from their 27 matches. They will now look to reestablish themselves in the Premier League with Minala in their ranks.

Sliema have 113 Maltese honours to their name and have been home to a number of notable names in their history. Legendary striker Michael Mifsud, who played in England for Coventry and Barnsley, has represented his boyhood club on three occasions having come through the youth sides at Silema. Mifsud played 143 times for Malta, scoring 42 goals.

But also, and rather randomly, former Arsenal midfielder Denilson represented Sliema in August 2020. He played just nine times before retiring from football.

Minala claims controversy has held back his career

Minala has previously spoken about the infamous controversy surrounding his age and insists that it held his career back at Lazio.

"I was very young and I couldn’t know or predict the resonance this would have," Minala said. "I’m convinced that the age story has always held back my career.

"I’ve always been judged for an off-pitch affair and never for my performances, in my first year as a professional at Bari I made 19 appearances and scored four goals.

"Did I expect more? Definitely. Every time I went out on loan I always had good seasons, but I never had the same chances as others at Lazio.

"I think the club has been conditioned by this age situation, even though I came to the first team in a strong Lazio side."

Minala also questioned former Lazio boss, Simeone Inzaghi, for not giving him an opportunity.

"He didn’t give me the chances I deserved," he said. "As the first player he focused on in the youth academy, I expected a chance in the first team.

"I was a bit disappointed, I saw that players of a lower level were given the chance and I was sent out on loan.

"There were also teams that were interested, but then they pulled out because of the scandal about my age."