Guirane N’daw: “I lied about my age,” the troubling confession of the Senegalese man

Guirane N’daw has caused a stir by openly discussing a controversial aspect of African football: age falsification. In an interview with IGFM, the former Senegalese international admitted, “Like all Senegalese, I lowered my age to become a professional. In Africa, a player who doesn’t lower his age can’t become a professional. That’s a fact.”

N’Daw’s candid confession highlights a long-standing but rarely acknowledged issue in African football, where age fraud has been a recurring scandal. By speaking openly, he has sparked renewed debate over ethics, the pressures young players face, and the systemic challenges in youth development across the continent.

While such admissions generate significant media buzz, they also underscore the difficult realities many players confront in trying to make it professionally, where perceived age can strongly influence opportunities.