I played U-17 at 20: Ghana football legend speaks out

Ghanaian football legend Charles Taylor has made a startling revelation about his time with the national U-17 team, admitting he was 20 years old when he featured for the side.

His confession comes in the wake of the Black Satellites’ early exit from the ongoing U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament, sparking renewed conversations about age fraud in Ghanaian football.

Speaking in an interview with Accra-based Angel TV, the former Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko star explained that the absence of strict age verification systems at the time allowed many overaged players, including himself, to represent junior national teams.

“If you pick players with original U15 years to play, they cannot even kick a ball. Although we have such teams, I doubt their ages. I also played for the national U17 team, but I was older than that age. Those who played on the team were five or more years older,” Taylor said.

He emphasized the need for football authorities to implement effective mechanisms to curb age fraud, arguing that genuine talent development depends on honesty in player ages.

“I was 20 years old while playing for the team, and nothing stopped me from playing. If we want to produce talents like Lamine Yamal, we should be honest with the ages of players,” he said.

Charles Taylor remains a respected figure in Ghanaian football history, having made significant contributions in the Ghana Premier League and at the national level.