‘One player had 3 kids’ — Fabio alleges age cheating in Ghana’s 2007 U-17 World Cup squad

Former Brazil defender Fábio has revived long-standing discussions surrounding age eligibility in youth football, alleging that some players in Ghana’s 2007 U-17 team may have been older than officially stated.

Fábio, who represented Brazil at the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup in South Korea, made the remarks during a conversation with his former Manchester United teammate Patrice Evra.

Brazil was knocked out of the competition by Ghana in the Round of 16 on August 29, 2007, suffering a 1-0 defeat at Gwangyang Stadium, courtesy of a second-half strike from Isaac Donkor.

The result was widely regarded as one of the tournament’s biggest upsets, with Ghana eliminating one of football’s traditional powerhouses.

Ghana went on to enjoy an impressive campaign, reaching the semi-finals before ultimately finishing fourth after losing the third-place playoff to Germany.

Reflecting on the encounter years later, Fábio expressed scepticism about the ages of some Ghanaian players. "They said they were 17 years old, but I don't think so," Fábio said during the conversation. "I spoke with one of them. He already had three kids."

Evra responded with surprise during the exchange and humorously cautioned the Brazilian about his remarks. "Fabio will never go to Ghana," Evra said, laughing.

Under FIFA regulations, players competing in the U-17 World Cup must meet strict age eligibility requirements.

Ghana’s squad at the time was cleared in accordance with these rules, and there has never been any official investigation or sanction related to their participation in the 2007 tournament.