Former Birmingham City and Ipswich Town midfielder Guirane N'Daw has come clean about his age in a shocking interview with Senegalese TV.
The defensive midfielder spent two loan spells in England, and has played at the likes of Real Zaragoza, Saint-Etienne, Nantes and Lens in his 17 year career.
He also made 41 appearances for his national side, and now plays for French sixth division side AS Algrange after he originally retired at the age of '31' in 2016.
N'Daw, who is registered as a 35-years-old, has now claimed that "99% of Senegalese players" have reduced their age after he admitted to being older than his registered birth date.
"What is certain is that in Senegal, 99% of players have reduced their age," he told IGFM via Kick Off.
"Senegalese [players] are generally very small and when he goes to Europe at 20, he will see that young people of 15 are stronger than him
"Like all Senegalese, I lowered my age to be professional. In Africa, the player who does not lower his age cannot be professional [in Europe], it's a reality."
N'Daw spent the majority of his career in France with some well-known teams.
He began his spell in football with Ligue 2 side Sochaux in 2002, and spent six years at the club before joining Nantes in 2008, where he went on to make 32 appearances.
Cadimyz
500
That's just the truth. Not only Senegalese, African footballers generally reduce their age. For me I don't know why people are bothered by the age, they should be concerned with what the person can offer. I am above 40years but I can tell you, if I jump into a premier league today, I will go for a 20year old. I think naturally, the normal black man doesn't age like the typical white. I remember in my junior high school days a white man from England came to teach in my school, then I was 13years old and had this class mate of mine who was 20years, when the white man enquired of our age, my mate told him he was 20. The white man became offended because he was doubting him. We understood then that the white man was 18 or 19year then. I was shocked too because the white man looked older than my dad who was in his late 30s then