French Ligue 1 player Marshall Munetsi’s former mentor Partridge Muskwe has revealed how South Africa legend Jomo Sono refused to sign the midfielder because of his age.

Muskwe, who is the director of Friendly Academy where Munetsi was attached at the time he moved to South Africa, says Sono questioned the authenticity of the giant midfielder’s age when they first met some five years ago.

Munetsi was 18 and had been accompanied for trials at Jomo Cosmos by the academy director.

But his age could not convince Sono who assumed the Zimbabwean player had reduced his years.

In an interview with The Sunday Mail, Muskwe explained: “His frame shocked Jomo Sono, who kept asking me about his age. The legend kept on probing, ‘Is it his real age, or it’s the African age?’

“You know Sono is hard to impress, so we returned home empty handed.”

Despite the snub, Munetsi’s talent caught the eye of Cape Town FC owner Erroll Dicks, when he visited Friendly Academy in the same year.

The player quickly signed for the South African National Division side before moving to Orlando Pirates in 2016 where made his name.

He is now with the French Ligue 1 club Stade de Reims, after completing his move in June.