How Ghana's 1995 U17 World Cup Winner Reduced His Age Following Interest From Real Madrid

How Ghana's 1995 U17 World Cup Winner Reduced His Age Following Interest From Real Madrid

Lukman Mumuni
updated at April 12, 2023 at 8:07 PM
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  • Former Ghana youth international Baba Sule is one of the few players to have been scouted by Spanish giants Real Madrid
  • Baba Sule helped Ghana win the 1995 FIFA U17 World Cup, attracting interest from clubs in Europe
  • The ex-footballer failed to reach his full potential despite moving to Spain after the World Cup in Ecuador 1995

Former Black Starlets midfielder, Baba Sule, had to reduce his age to feature at the 1995 FIFA U17 World Cup and get the opportunity to play for Real Madrid.

Baba Sule was the star of Ghana at the 1995 U17 World Cup as the Black Starlets emerged champions for the second time.

However, in an interview on Peace FM, Nana Fritz, chairman of Sule's first club Cornerstones FC, confessed to reducing the player's age to despite being older.

BABA SULE, Ghana, 1995 U17 World Cup
Former Cornerstone chairman Nana Fritz has revealed reducing Baba Sule's age. Credit: @ghanasoccernet
Source: Twitter
"The boy [Sule] is my son, anytime look at him or see him I feel ashamed. Because I did something that is against my principles. I reduced Baba Sule's age,” Nana Fitz said as quoted by Pulse.

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“I was told that the [Real Madrid] scouts are interested in Baba Sule. When Baba Sule was travelling he had completed sixth form in Secondary School and had even completed Wisely College and was a teacher.
“He was the captain of Corners. So we met and his mother gave me his letter and everything (documents). That's where I felt bad, it really boxed me."

Baba Sule would rather join Spanish outfit Real Mallorca after the tournament, but struggled to break into the first team, making only three appearances.

His career took a nosedive and ended in oblivion.

Meanwhile, Nana Fritz has asked for forgiveness from the former footballer, stating he was wrong to change his age.

"Now I think he is doing well. He said he is an assistant coach on one of the teams. Anytime I see him like that, it hurts me," continued the football administrator.
“They should forgive me. Baba Sule, Cornerstones, and everybody I'm sorry. I wouldn't do it today. Because I'm one of the fighters against this but I made a mistake,” he added.

Baba Sule went from Real Mallorca to driving De Gea

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that most football icons usually narrate their stories of moving from penury to bottomless riches.

However, there is also a section whose career, destined for greatness plummeted and never gained the traction it promised.

More often than not the latter happens to African footballers, whose great career projections hit the rock and fail spectacularly.

Authors
Lukman Mumuni photo
Lukman Mumuni
Lukman Abdul Mumin is a Sports Journalist based in Accra, Ghana. He has been writing for the past five years. Lukman joined Sports Brief as an Editor for the Local Desk in 2022.
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GhanaGhana Football Association (GFA)World