Viewers Freaked Out By 'Child Caught Smoking' at a football match, Turns Out To Be 36-Year-Old Man @objektifdegilim/Twitter

As two Turkish football teams came together for a friendly to raise money for cancer, people were shocked to see ‘a child’ smoking in the stands.

Or so it appeared. Turkish clubs Bursaspor and Fenerbahce decided to take advantage of the international break by arranging a game, with all proceeds donated to organisations that fight against diseases like leukaemia and foundations that support kids with Down’s syndrome and autism.

As seen on beIN Sports, the camera came away from the Timsah Arena’s pitch in Bursa and panned to the audience, where a seemingly fresh-faced youngster was seen puffing a cigarette.

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Check out the video below:

In the video posted by @objektifdegilim, the young fan sat next to the ‘child’ seemed to be completely oblivious to the close-by tobacco fumes.

As the ‘Green Crocodiles’ claimed a 2-1 win over Fenerbahce, Twitter descended into a manhunt: the clip was shared across multiple accounts as users tried to uncover the identify of the ‘smoking boy’.

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Turkey Smoking Boy Football Game 2 @objektifdegilim/Twitter/beIN Sports

So who is the child at the centre of the controversy? Where were his parents when he decided to light up in the middle of a game?

Plot twist: the young boy is, in fact, a 36-year-old dad.

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According to Instagram account @yureginikoyortaya, the man – who has not yet been named – had brought his child along to the game.

Twitter users responded to the news with a mixture of hilarity and jealously. One person called him ‘Benjamin Button’, while another wrote he had ‘took the water from the fountain of all youth’.

Other users dubbed the whole story ‘impossible’ and ‘bizarre’.

Turkey Smoking Boy Football Game 3 @objektifdegilim/Twitter

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Although his dramas may not be over: smoking is banned in all public places in Turkey, including sports stadiums.

It can carry a fine of 69 Turkish lira – equivalent to £13 – but there is no confirmation as to whether the ‘boy’ was caught by police.

Please let me remind you that smoking is not, I repeat not, an appropriate way to retain your youthful appearance.