Has Youssoufa Moukoko lied about his age?

Has Youssoufa Moukoko lied about his age?

The football world has been rocked by explosive allegations against Youssoufa Moukoko, the Borussia Dortmund starlet currently on loan at Nice.

In an explosive documentary aired by German broadcaster ProSieben, a man claiming to be the former father figure of the player has sensationally alleged that the player is four years older than his official records suggest.

Joseph Moukoko, who was earlier identified as Youssoufa's father, has now claimed that he fabricated the player's birth documents to help him get through in professional football. According to the revelations, Youssoufa wasn't born on November 20, 2004, as registered, but on July 19, 2000. If true, this would make him 24, not 20.

Joseph, speaking on the documentary titled "Tricks, Cheating, Deception - The Million Dollar Business with Football Talents" signed an affidavit stating Youssoufa isn't his biological son and that he forged the documents. "We did it so he could have better opportunities in European football," he said.

The claims further deepen with Joseph claiming to have ties to a Dortmund sponsor, Evonik, that reportedly gave the family money when Moukoko was on his way up. "We received money every month through my wife's agency linked to Evonik," Joseph continued, claiming he later took in work as a video analyst and scout earning Є20,000 a month.

But that now raises serious questions about the validity of Moukoko's participation in youth tournaments, including Germany's victory in the 2021 U21 European Championship.

Borussia Dortmund has consistently defended the legitimacy of the documents pertaining to Moukoko, with the club's communications chief Sascha Fligge saying, "His playing authorizations are based on official, legitimate records.

Yet, questions have lingered. Investigations in Cameroon reportedly found no record of a Youssoufa Moukoko born in 2004, but evidence of a Youssoufa Mohamadou born in 2000 to a local taxi driver.

Should these allegations prove true, Moukoko's glittering achievements, including becoming Germany's youngest World Cup player, will be tarnished.

The wider implications for Borussia Dortmund, Nice, and football's age verification systems could be seismic as this scandal threatens to shake the sport to its core.