Manager Dmitry Selyuk weighed in on reports that Borussia Dortmund striker Yussuf Mukoko may be 22 rather than 18, relaying the stance through RB Sports. He acknowledged that age disputes do occur in football, noting they can pop up in many leagues around the world, including Russia. Selyuk recalled rumors about a different young talent, Shapi, whose age was questioned, and pointed out that such narratives aren’t unique to any one country. In youth football, stories persist about players who seem too mature for their age, or teams where appearances don’t always align with official records. Of course, these anecdotes are part of a broader conversation about how age documentation is handled and verified across the sport.
The situation around Mukoko centers on conflicting information about his birthplace and birth date. Official documents supposedly listed Cameroon as his birthplace with a November 20, 2004 birth date. However, reports claim that Mukoko’s stepfather provided a new birth certificate indicating a different year of birth, which would place him at 22 years old. Such claims have sparked debate about age verification processes and the reliability of supplementary documents in football.
In related remarks, Selyuk offered another viewpoint on how clubs sometimes navigate nationality status. He suggested that Zenit had a role in discussions around Malcom and Claudinho acquiring Russian citizenship, a move that could influence how players are treated under FIFA rules when contemplating suspensions or contract implications. This commentary underscores the wider tensions between national eligibility, federation rulings, and the practical needs of clubs in maintaining competitive rosters. — Attribution: RB Sports.