Six footballers who look older than they claim to be

Chelsea striker Diego Costa turns 27 today. No, it's true.

The Brazil-born Spain international is prone to 'using his experience', to borrow a football cliche, but is that because he's actually much older? He isn't the first player whose birth certificate has been brought into question - here are a few others. https://twitter.com/PaulStollery/status/507814856566009856?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Charlie Adam

The Stoke midfielder is 29 years old, having been born five days after Malcolm in the Middle star Frankie Muniz. Yakubu The Nigeria striker, who played in England for Everton, Middlesbrough and Portsmouth, is officially 32 years old, though records from earlier in his career have alleged that he was born in 1977 and not 1982. https://twitter.com/RobHarriman77/status/562326228351586304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Danny Ings

He might have the world-weary look of a veteran who has endured a tough life, but 23-year-old Ings is a day younger than Selena Gomez.

Hendry Thomas

Former Wigan midfielder Thomas is playing in America these days. He is 30 years old. https://twitter.com/FFS_Transfer/status/629738475647057920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Wayne Rooney

Rooney will soon turn 30 too, making him just eight months younger than Thomas. An interesting theory recently emerged about the Manchester United captain - it would certainly help explain his love for Whitney Houston. https://twitter.com/MichaelKeshani/status/480773393672044544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Joseph Minala

The Lazio player turned 19 back in August. The picture below is almost two years old and was circulated after a Cameroon website claimed the midfielder was 42, not 17. The teenager had to subsequently prove his age to the Italian league's federal prosecutor. https://twitter.com/DarrylNgahane/status/637027251977080833