Joseph Minala Explained

Joseph Minala
Fullname:Joseph Marie Minala
Birth Date:24 August 1996
Birth Place:Yaoundé, Cameroon
Height:1.84 m
Position:Midfielder
Currentclub:Sliema Wanderers
Clubnumber:6
Youthyears1:2012–2013
Youthclubs1:Vigor Perconti
Youthyears2:2013–2014
Youthclubs2:Lazio
Years1:2014–2021
Clubs1:Lazio
Caps1:3
Goals1:0
Years2:2014–2015
Clubs2:Bari (loan)
Caps2:18
Goals2:3
Years3:2015–2016
Clubs3:Latina (loan)
Caps3:3
Goals3:1
Years4:2016
Clubs4:Bari (loan)
Caps4:1
Goals4:0
Years5:2017–2018
Clubs5:Salernitana (loan)
Caps5:52
Goals5:4
Years6:2019
Clubs6:Salernitana (loan)
Caps6:12
Goals6:2
Years7:2020
Clubs7:Qingdao Huanghai (loan)
Caps7:9
Goals7:0
Years8:2021–2022
Clubs8:Lucchese
Caps8:19
Goals8:3
Years10:2023
Clubs10:Liepāja
Caps10:2
Goals10:0
Years11:2023–
Clubs11:Sliema Wanderers
Caps11:19
Goals11:1
Nationalyears1:2015
Nationalteam1:Cameroon U23
Nationalcaps1:2
Nationalgoals1:1
Club-Update:13 May 2024
Nationalteam-Update:9 May 2017

Joseph Marie Minala (born 24 August 1996)[1] is a Cameroonian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Maltese Premier League club Sliema Wanderers.

Club career

Early career

Minala began playing for amateur club Vigor Perconti and attracted the attention of Napoli, who gave him a two-month trial. He was spotted by Lazio scouts in 2013, while representing the region of Lazio in the Trofeo delle Regioni.[1] He joined Lazio in the summer of 2013.[2]

In early 2014, Minala then made news when his age was publicly disputed by multiple parties. Both Lazio and the player denied the claims.[3] In May 2014, the Italian FA completed their investigation into the claims, confirming the accuracy of his given age and announcing that no disciplinary action would be taken against him or Lazio.[4]

Lazio

Minala broke into Lazio's senior team on 16 March 2014, when he was an unused substitute in the match against Cagliari.[5] He then made his full Serie A debut on 6 April, replacing Senad Lulić for the last 13 minutes of a 2–0 home win against Sampdoria.[6]

On 25 August 2014 Minala was loaned to Serie B side Bari for the 2014–15 season.[7] On 13 December, as a 73rd-minute substitute for Marco Augusto Romizi, he scored his first career goal, the last-minute decider in an away victory over Cittadella.[8] He scored two more goals,[9] [10] and was also sent off twice.[11] [12]

Minala was again loaned to a Serie B team, Latina, on 6 July 2015.[13] [14] He made his debut on 9 August, starting in a 4–1 home defeat to Lega Pro team Pavia in the first round of the Coppa Italia.[15] He scored his first goal for the team on 27 October, equalising in a 2–1 loss to Ternana at the Stadio Domenico Francioni.[16] In January 2016, he rejoined Bari.[17]

On 21 January 2017, Minala joined Serie B side Salernitana on loan with an option to buy.[18] Two years later, he returned to the same club on loan for the rest of the season.[19]

Minala signed with Chinese Super League club Qingdao Huanghai on loan on 28 February 2020, until the end of the year.[20] [21]

Lucchese

On 26 October 2021, Minala signed for Serie C team Lucchese until the end of the season.[22]

Olbia

On 23 August 2022, Minala joined Olbia on a one-year contract.[23] On 6 January 2023, Minala's contract with Olbia was terminated by mutual consent.[24]

Liepāja

On 3 March 2023, Minala signed for Latvian Higher League club FK Liepāja.[25]

Sliema Wanderers

In the summer of 2023, Minala joined Maltese Premier League side Sliema Wanderers.[26]

International career

Minala played for Cameroon at under-23 level in their unsuccessful qualification campaign for the 2015 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations. He scored against Sierra Leone in a 1–1 draw on 30 May 2015, but Cameroon were eliminated in the second round on away goals.[27]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational cupContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Lazio2013–14Serie A3000000030
2019–20Serie A0010000010
Total3010000040
Bari (loan)2014–15Serie B18300183
Latina (loan)2015–16Serie B311041
Bari (loan)2015–16Serie B100010
Salernitana (loan)2016–17Serie B16100161
2017–18Serie B36311374
2018–19Serie B1220020142
Total646110020677
Qingdao Huanghai (loan)2020Chinese Super League15010160
Lucchese2021–22Serie C1930010203
Olbia2022–23Serie C12000120
Liepāja2023Latvian Higher League20000020
Sliema Wanderers2023–24Maltese Premier League000000
Career total1371341003014414

Notes and References

  1. News: Lazio threaten legal action over Minala age claims . 13 February 2014. ESPN. 25 May 2020.
  2. Web site: Lazio threaten legal action after claims Cameroon 17 year-old Joseph Minala is actually 41 . The Daily Telegraph. 13 February 2014 . 11 April 2017.
  3. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/26162408 Joseph Minala: Lazio respond to false age claims of teenager
  4. News: Joseph Minala: Italian FA confirms Lazio youth player is 17 . 3 August 2014 . . 29 May 2014.
  5. Web site: Cagliari vs. Lazio . 16 March 2014 . Soccerway . 3 August 2014.
  6. Web site: Lazio vs. Sampdoria. Soccerway . 3 August 2014.
  7. Web site: Fcbari1908.club .
  8. News: Giuliani. Marco. Cittadella-Bari 0-1: Minala regala il successo ai galletti nel finale. Cittadella 0-1 Bari: Minala gives victory to the galletti at the end. 24 August 2015. Bari Today. 13 December 2014. it.
  9. News: BARI-LATINA 1-0, NERAZZURRI POCO PERICOLOSI E MINALA BEFFA DI GENNARO. BARI 1-0 LATINA, NERAZZURRI RARELY DANGEROUS AND MINALA MAKES A MOCKERY OUT OF DI GENNARO. 24 August 2015. Latina Quotidiano. 20 December 2014. it.
  10. News: Bari - Crotone 1-1. 25 August 2015. F.C. Bari 1908. 11 April 2015.
  11. News: Serie B: colpaccio Spezia, il Bari affonda. Serie B: Spezia thrash, Bari sink. 25 August 2015. Sport Mediaset. 28 December 2014. it.
  12. News: Bari-Bologna 1-1, le pagelle dei biancorossi: muro Guarna, disastro Minala. Bari 1-1 Bologna, biancorossi ratings: Guarna was a wall, Minala was a disaster. 25 August 2015. Bari Today. 24 April 2015.
  13. Web site: Comunicato. Announcement. 6 July 2015. 1 May 2016. S.S. Lazio. it.
  14. News: Lazio, Braafheid rinnova fino al 2016. E Minala va in prestito al Latina. Lazio, Braafheid renews until 2016. And Minala goes on loan to Latina. 25 August 2015. La Gazzetta dello Sport. 6 July 2015. it.
  15. News: Ciochi. Giorgia. LATINA-PAVIA 1-4, PESANTE SCONFITTA DEI NERAZZURRI: ELIMINATI DALLA COPPA ITALIA. LATINA 1-4 PAVIA, NERAZZURRI HEAVY DEFEAT: ELIMINATED FROM THE COPPA ITALIA. 25 August 2015. Latina Quotidiano. 10 August 2015. it.
  16. News: Latina-Ternana 1-2, doppietta di Furlan ed è riscatto rossoverde: prima vittoria esterna. Furlan's brace redeems the Rossoverde: first away victory. 5 January 2016. Umbria 24. 27 October 2015. it. 15 August 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160815152400/http://www.umbria24.it/latina-ternana-le-fere-a-caccia-di-riscatto-dopo-lo-choc-del-derby-la-diretta-dalle-20-30/376290.html. dead.
  17. News: UFFICIALE – Joseph Minala è un nuovo giocatore del Bari (Foto). OFFICIAL - Joseph Minala is a new Bari player (Photo) . 17 February 2019 . Lazio Channel . 11 January 2016 . it.
  18. News: Joseph Minala è un giocatore della Salernitana. Joseph Minala is a player of Salernitana. 21 January 2017. U.S. Salernitana 1919. 21 January 2017. it.
  19. Web site: UFFICIALE: Salernitana, dalla Lazio torna Joseph Minala. 16 January 2019. OFFICIAL: Salernitana, Joseph Minala returns from Lazio. it. Tutto Mercato.
  20. Web site: 官宣 亚历山德里尼、武科维奇、米纳拉加盟,克莱奥续约公告. zh. Dongqiudi. 28 February 2020. 28 February 2020.
  21. Lazio. Comunicato 28.02.2020. 28 February 2020. it. 3 March 2020. 26 November 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221126194520/https://www.sslazio.it/it/news/press-release-2/58515-comunicato-28-02-2020. dead.
  22. News: Joseph Minala è un nuovo giocatore della Lucchese . Joseph Minala is a new Lucchese player. 11 February 2022 . Calcio Toscano . 26 October 2021 . Italian.
  23. Web site: Olbia. Minala è un giocatore dell'Olbia. 23 August 2022. 23 September 2022. it. 23 August 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220823143036/http://www.olbiacalcio.com/news/comunicati/2564/minala-e-un-giocatore-dell-olbia. dead.
  24. Web site: Olbia. L'Olbia e Minala si separano. 6 January 2023. 20 January 2023. it. 6 January 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230106184012/http://www.olbiacalcio.com/news/comunicati/2718/l-olbia-e-minala-si-separano. dead.
  25. Web site: 28 April 2023 . Lazio youth player accused of being 42 has moved away from Italy . 10 September 2023 . SPORTbible . en.
  26. Web site: 8 August 2023 . Ex-Lazio youth player once accused of being 41 secures move to country's biggest club . 10 September 2023 . SPORTbible . en.
  27. Web site: OLYMPIC DREAM OVER CAMEROON. CAFonline.com. 31 May 2015.