"I think they were 25 years. One of them already had three kids." – Ex-Manchester United Star Fabio claims Ghana used overage players at 2007 U-17 World Cup

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Former Manchester United defender, Fabio Da Silva has alleged that Ghana fielded players as old as 25 during the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup in South Korea. Fabio made these claims during a podcast featuring his twin brother Rafael, along with former teammates Patrice Evra and Ji-Sung Park.

The 2007 tournament, famously won by Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets, featured a host of future stars including Toni Kroos, Bojan Krkic, and Danny Welbeck. Ghana reached the semifinals after securing a narrow 1-0 victory over a Brazil side that included both Fabio and Rafael.

When the group discussed Brazil’s performance in the competition, Rafael noted their elimination at the hands of the Black Starlets. Fabio then offered a controversial explanation for the defeat, questioning the ages of their opponents.

“They said they were 17 years old, but I don’t think so,” Fabio claimed. “I think they were 25 years. I spoke with one of them; he already had three kids.”

Ghana eventually finished the tournament in fourth place after a loss to Germany in the third-place play-off. Despite Fabio’s assertions, no official investigation or evidence has ever substantiated claims regarding the age of the 2007 Ghanaian squad.