THE world’s oldest man has died at the age of 127 in Brazil, according to reports.

Jose Paulino Gomes, allegedly born on August 4, 1895, leaves behind seven children, 25 grandchildren, 42 great-grandchildren, and 11 great-great-grandchildren.

He passed away on July 28 at his home in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

He reportedly put his long life down to enjoying a “little drink”.

Jose was born before the death of Queen Victoria, the Wright brothers’ first flight, and the discovery of X-rays, local records claim.

According to Cartorio Silva, the sole registry office in his hometown Pedra Bonita, Jose married in 1917, aged 22.

“It is presumed that he was indeed born before 1900,” legal adviser Willyan Jose Rodrigues de Souza said.

If true, Jose would have been the oldest known person in the world.

The current official record holder, according to the Guinness World Records, is Spain‘s Maria Branyas Morera, aged 115.

“Here in the countryside, people are usually registered when they are older,” Jose’s granddaughter Eliane Ferreira told local media.

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“There are several cases with incorrect documentation. But his documentation showed he was younger than he actually was.

“There is a lady nearby who is 98 years old. She says she knew him when he was just a boy.

“That’s when we became curious to confirm his age and looked up the registry office to find out what was correct.

“He definitely was over 100 years old, at least 110. Now we need to know how it will be recorded on the death certificate.”

Eliane said her grandfather was a “very simple, very humble” man.

“His uniqueness was that he didn’t like anything industrialised, only things from the countryside, natural.

“He raised chickens, pigs… His food was all from here, had to be grown or raised here. And he always liked to have a little drink.”

Fabiola Oliveira, also Jose’s granddaughter, revealed he was riding horses until four years ago.

“Four years ago, he stopped riding horses. For about a month, he was in bed,” she said.

“He will leave behind many stories and memories for all of us.”

Jose’s family says his cause of death was multiple organ failure, likely due to his old age.

He was laid to rest at the Corrego dos Fialhos Cemetery in Pedra Bonita on 29th July.

It is not clear if Guinness World Records are looking into the claims.