Minala, the burden of a lie: his career overshadowed by a fake news story | OneFootball

At 29 years old, now a key player in the Maltese league with Marsaxlokk, Joseph Minala has decided to revisit the incident that, more than any other, has shaped his professional journey.

Minala, the Weight of a Lie: His Career Marked by a Fake News Story

The former Lazio midfielder, born on August 24, 1996, tells Gazzetta dello Sport about the origins and consequences of the story that, against his will, turned him into an international media case.

The Origin of the Nightmare: The False “42 Years Old” Rumor

In 2014, Minala was emerging in Lazio’s Primavera squad, alongside talents like Keita Baldé and Thomas Strakosha. But a baseless news story, spread by a Senegalese website, changed everything: the supposed revelation that the young Cameroonian was not 17, but actually 42 years old.

A paradoxical narrative, which went viral within hours and was never truly dispelled in the public imagination, despite documents and medical examinations certifying his real age.

Minala recalls that period as follows:

“They massacred me, destroyed me, humiliated me. Eighty percent of people judged me harshly. The documents and the tests I was forced to undergo prove that I was born in 1996. The doctors even wrote that biologically, I look a year younger.”

However, the midfielder does not believe the incident was a coincidence:

“It was a targeted action. The rumor was spread by someone who used to follow me and whom I trusted. I was threatened and blackmailed. I was alone, defenseless, and no one protected me.”

From Foster Homes to Professional Football: A Story of Daily Struggle

Minala’s journey in Italy had already started uphill. Arriving in the country at 15 for an alleged trial, he was abandoned at Termini station by those who were supposed to help him. After difficult months and entering a foster home, his real football journey began: successful trials, interest from various clubs, and then joining Lazio thanks to the trust of Igli Tare.

His Serie A debut under Edoardo Reja, a historic goal in Salerno, important seasons in Serie B, and a talent that seemed destined for a stable, high-level career.

“The Doors of Italian Football Closed”: The Price of Defamation

Today, Minala plays far from the spotlight he once dreamed of. Not because of technical limitations, he claims, but because of a reputation tainted by a fake news story that was never truly put to rest. He recounts it with bitter clarity:

“In Italy, nobody wanted me anymore, because of that controversy. I was devalued for something that never existed. Now I play in a peripheral league, but I deserve at least Serie B. I’m not a bad person: why does no one believe my age?”

A simple question, but one that sums up the entire sporting and human tragedy of a still young professional, convinced he has much to give but forced to pay for a crime he never committed.

An Emblematic Case of How Fake News Can Change a Career

The story of Joseph Minala is a clear example of how misinformation, especially when it concerns young athletes, can cause irreversible damage. Despite medical certifications, official documents, and years of testimony supporting his identity, the footballer still bears the scars of a narrative constructed and amplified without control.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.