Has a player ever been secretly switched out for another?

Rumors that Real Madrid's Vinícius Júnior was swapped for a look-alike after the 2026 World Cup have people asking whether it has ever happened in sports. We talked about where Vinícius is and the clone rumors.

The Impostors Who Got Caught

• In 1923, a man calling himself "Dolly" Gray posed as Howard "Howdy" Gray, an All-American from Princeton, and played in the NFL for the St. Louis All-Stars. Their owner realized he wasn't the real player and sold him to the Green Bay Packers to raise cash. He played 1 game for Green Bay, was found out and vanished. His real name is still unknown.
• In 1984, a horse called Fine Cotton won a race at Eagle Farm in Brisbane, Australia. It was really a faster horse, Bold Personality, with its coat dyed and its legs painted to match, swapped in for a betting coup. Officials disqualified it the same day.
• In 1996, Southampton manager Graeme Souness took a call from someone claiming to be George Weah, saying Ali Dia was his cousin and an international player. Dia played once, against Leeds United on November 23, 1996, coming on in the 32nd minute and being taken off in the 85th. He was released 2 weeks into a 1-month contract.
• On September 7, 2010, a fake Togo national team played Bahrain and lost 3-0. It was organized by Bana Tchanilé, a suspended Togo coach, and has been linked to a match-fixing syndicate. He was banned for 3 years.

Why It Never Lasts

So a switch has been tried in sports, but never for long. Teammates, coaches, medical checks and the cameras on every top player make a lasting swap very hard to pull off. Whatever is going on with Vinícius, the best answer will come on the pitch when he returns.