Former Ghanaian international and Hearts of Oak legend, Charles Taylor, has made a startling revelation about age manipulation in Ghanaian football, admitting that he was 20 years old when he played for the national U-17 team.
Speaking in an interview on Angel TV, Taylor disclosed that age cheating has long been a widespread issue in Ghana’s youth football system, with many local players altering their ages to meet eligibility requirements for national youth teams.
“I was 20 years old when I played for the U-17 team,” Taylor revealed. “Most of the local players reduce their ages by five or six years just to fit into the age categories. That has been our problem for many years.”
His comment adds to the ongoing discourse around the integrity of youth football in Ghana and the wider continent, where age-related controversies have frequently surfaced in international competitions.
Charles Kweku Bismark Taylor Asampong, popularly known as Charles Taylor, was one of the most electrifying talents in Ghanaian football during the early 2000s. Known for his explosive pace, dribbling skills, and ability to score stunning goals, Taylor began his professional career with Great Olympics before moving to Accra Hearts of Oak in 2000.
At Hearts, Taylor formed part of the club’s legendary “64 Battalion” alongside Ishmael Addo and Emmanuel Osei Kuffour. He played a crucial role in Hearts of Oak’s dominance in the local league, helping the club win multiple Ghana Premier League titles and the CAF Champions League in 2000.
In 2003, he made a highly controversial switch to Hearts’ fierce rivals, Asante Kotoko, in what was one of the most talked-about transfers in Ghanaian football history. Taylor’s move was made possible after Kotoko paid a then-record transfer fee of GH₵ 40,000 (equivalent to billions of cedis under the old currency) to secure his services.
He also had stints abroad, playing for Tunisian side Etoile du Sahel, but his time in North Africa was short-lived. Injuries and contract issues limited his international success, and he later returned to Ghana to continue his career.
Taylor represented Ghana at various levels, including the U-17 and U-20 teams, and earned senior caps for the Black Stars.
