Kicker has published a retraction with regard to a recent article covering German striker Youssoufa Moukoko. Germany’s preeminent footballing publication pulled quotes from a Danish television interview in which the former Borussia Dortmund professional spoke on some of his recent personal and professional challenges. Moukoko’s interview was also picked up by Get German Football News.
While neither the Kicker nor the Get German Football News article contained any deliberately deceitful information, Mokouko’s admission that some of his recent professional struggles led him to cry could have been easily misinterpreted to mean that the controversy over his age led him to this state. Moukoko has spoken on the age falsification scandal before, even noting some four years ago that it nearly led to him quitting football altogether.
It remains unlikely that the matter over Moukoko’s age will be definitively settled. A German ProSieben documentary released in December 2024 appeared to deliver damning evidence that Moukoko’s birth certificate was deliberately falsified and his family life and upbringing staged for the benefit of his professional footballing career. Dortmund have countered this claim by producing their own official documents.,
Most German footballing media sources nevertheless wish to refrain from reporting on the story too much as it is of little sporting relevance and straddles several ethical boundaries. The Kicker retraction is written by journalist Michael Bächle. Kicker’s original sourcing of the Danish television interview came from the Deutsche-Presse-Agentur.
“An earlier version of this article stated that Moukoko’s statement ‘I cried ‘referred to the speculation about his age,” the Kicker retraction reads. “In fact, he made this statement in reference to his athletic problems. We apologize for the error.”
