In Ghana, football is the passion of the Nation. It is the most popular sport in the country as football lovers support the senior national team, The Black Stars.
Football in Ghana is also a money-making venture whereby many officials and agents transfer players to Europe. This situation, however, affects the popularity of domestic football as local players aren’t usually called up to play for the Black Stars. The following are the 5 most important players in Ghana even though they play in Europe.
Andre Dede Ayew
In 2019, Dede Ayew took captainship of the Black Stars from the legendary Asamoah Gyan who is nearing retirement. Ayew who is a son of former Ghanaian football legend Abedi Ayew Pele started his career with his father’s football club Nania FC in Accra before heading to Olympic Marseille where he won some trophies. He also won the BBC African Player of The Year and Ghanaian player of the year awards all in 2011.
On his national duties for Ghana, Ayew lost in two finals in the African nations cup, AFCON. The winger is additionally a FIFA U-20 world cup winner and now plays an important role for English Championship side Swansea City.
Thomas Teye Partey
The Atletico Madrid superstar is arguably Ghana’s best midfield player at the moment. Partey came up through youth football in Ghana before signing for Atletico Madrid in 2011. After moving to Mallorca and Almeria on loan, he returned to the Madrid club in 2015.
Due to his strong and tactical style of football, he established himself as a regular player for the Black Stars after his first appearance for the team in 2016. Partey is definitely a household name if you are familiar with Ghana football.
Jordan Ayew
Jordan, who is the brother of Andre Ayew, is Ghana’s top striker in recent times. He started his career with Olympic Marseille as a trainee in 2006 before signing a long term deal in 2009.
The Crystal Palace forward started appearing for Ghana since 2010. Though he played only one game for Ghana at the U-20 level, he has made 56 appearances for the senior national team, scoring 15 goals as of September 2019. Despite losing at the final of the 2015 Africa Cup Nations with Ghana, Jordan has won 6 trophies in his career, all with Olympic Marseille.
Mubarak Wakaso
A regular player
Though Wakaso hasn’t won any trophies with Ghana yet, he played in the 2014 World Cup and appeared four times in the Africa Cup of Nations where he won the top scorer award in 2013. He was also runner-up in the 2015 edition of the competition after losing to Ivory Coast in the final.
Kwadwo Asamoah
Asamoah, now 30, started playing soccer in Ghana at a young age with colts side Kaaseman FC. He later joined Liberty Professionals before his exploits in Europe where he signed for a couple of clubs.
The skillful player in his earlier features for the Black stars was regular in
