Cameroon clears 17-year-old AFCON star of age cheating

Wilfried Nathan Douala made the news when he was picked for the Cameroon national side for two reasons: the first being that he was the youngest player at this year’s AFCON at 17 years old, and the second being that there were doubts that the first reason was true.

There were immediate question marks over the age of the player from the moment his name was announced. Camerounfoot described him as “The most mature 17-year-old in the world,” while Le Monde suspected that the Douala was a 23-year-old they had previously interviewed years before who at the time went by the name Alexandre Bardelli.

The two players bore a striking similarity having the same tattoos in the same spots, as well as the same scar, while even the number that Bardelli had left the interviewer to keep in contact happened to now be that of Douala’s mother.

Douala was suspended on March 10 for alleged false identity, and it appeared as if the story would be over for a footballer who had begun to impress in the Cameroon league with his club, Victoria United FC.

However, a new twist has marked the story, as the Cameroonian Football Federation has cleared Douala of the accusation and allowed him to play in the upcoming MTN Elite 2024 playoffs for Victoria. Even confirming his date of birth as being June 15, 2006. A fact that would make the player 17 years old.

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