(C)Getty Images Mohamed Saeed
May 19, 2026 03:42+06:00
Ex-Arsenal and Man City star reveals he played under fake name for two years
S. Nasri Marseille Ligue 1
Former Arsenal and Manchester City playmaker Samir Nasri has made a surprising admission regarding the very beginning of his footballing journey. The retired France international revealed that he spent two years playing under a completely different identity to bypass age restrictions in youth football.
A secret identity on the pitch
In a revealing appearance on a podcast hosted by former rapper K-Mel, Nasri looked back at the unconventional start to his decorated career. The former Marseille and Premier League star shocked his host by admitting that his first steps in club football were taken using a fraudulent license.
"I started with a fake license, I played under someone else's name," the Marseille native confessed. The reason for the deception was simple: Nasri was only four years old at the time, but the French Football Federation (FFF) guidelines state that children must be at least five or six years old to register in the U6 category. To get him on the pitch early, his local club took drastic measures.
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Meet Alexandre Maras
Nasri detailed how the club managed to hide his true identity from officials during his early years in the sport.
"They took a guy from my neighborhood who was the right age to have his license and for two seasons, I played under the name of Alexandre Maras," the former France international revealed during the interview.
The deception required a constant effort from those around him to ensure the young prodigy didn't slip up. Nasri explained: "They told me: 'You look like a Frenchman' and I played under this false name until I was old enough to have a license. At matches, they brainwashed me by saying: 'Don't forget, your name is Alexandre.'"
From neighborhood games to Marseille
The man formerly known to officials as Alexandre Maras did not stay in the shadows for long, as his immense talent quickly caught the eye of the nation's biggest clubs. After two seasons at Pennes-Mirabeau, the young playmaker moved to the Mediterranean giants.
"I signed for Marseille at age nine and at 13, I entered the training center," he explained.
While his early years were spent under a pseudonym, Nasri’s belief in his own ability was evident from a very young age. He noted, "From the age of seven, I wanted to have a career in football, but it was at 13 that I became aware that there might be something there, and even more so when I was part of the France Under-16 team."
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Financial rewards at a young age
His rise through the ranks at Marseille was accompanied by significant financial backing for a teenage player. Nasri admitted that he was given special treatment to ensure he remained at the club.
He revealed he was pocketing 5,000 francs per month from the age of 13, which is approximately €1,153 today. Furthermore, his family received a substantial lump sum to help with his development and logistics.
"To buy a car," Nasri explained, referring to a check for 150,000 francs (around €34,605) given to his parents. Prior to that purchase, the club had been so desperate to facilitate his training that they provided a private chauffeur to take him to and from Marseille's training sessions.