7 Ghanaian Midfielders Who Made Africa Really Proud

Football is a hotly followed sport in Ghana – and the reasons are not hidden. Millions of Ghanaians enjoy the exhilaration the game brings, especially when some of the top European sides go to battle on the pitch.

Aside from the abundance of entertainment the game presents, thousands of Ghanaian punters profit from staking on top bookmaker apps like Bet 365, as reviewed on https://www.telecomasia.net/gh/sports-betting/reviews/bet365/mobile-app/.

Indeed, Ghanaians have dominated the premium stages in the global football arena. The country has produced some of the best midfielders the planet has ever seen.

This article celebrates seven midfielders that made Ghana (and Africa at large) spectacularly proud.

Stephen Appiah

Stephen Leroy Appiah is a former Ghanaian Midfielder representing the Ghanaian national team in 67 matches. He was born in Accra on the 24th of December 1980 and is one of the best midfielders to play for the Black Stars.

At 14, he became the 1995 U17 World Champion, attracting attention with his impressive performance. Appiah followed up at Hearts of Oak and moved to Europe in 1997.

Playing for Udinese, Perma, Juventus, Fenerbahçe, and others, he displayed his gift, relentlessness, and physicality in the midfield. His eye for goal and shot power earned him playing term across the domestic league and champions league games.

As a reward for his hard work, he won the Ghana Premier League and FA Cup, the Coppa Italia with Parma, Serie A and Supercoppa Italiana with Juventus, and Süper Lig and Turkish Super Cup with Fenerbahçe. He also captained Ghana in the 2006 and 2010 FIFA World Cups.

Sulley Muntari

Suleyman “Sulley” Muntari is another top ex-Ghanian midfielder, and he was born on 27th August 1984.

The energetic left-footed player is known for his ability to read and break down the opposition’s attack and his power and hard tackles.

Muntari’s career was impressive, with 80 caps for Ghana and playing spells across Italy, England, and Spain. He played 2 AFCONs for Ghana, winning bronze in 2008, and appeared in the FIFA World Cup 3 times.

He won the 2008 FA Cup with Portsmouth. Arguably, his career peak was with Internazionale between 2008 and 2011, winning Serie A, Coppa Italia, and Supercoppa Italiana twice. Muntari also won the UEFA Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup.

However, his 18 years playing career ended on 28 November 2022.

Kwadwo Asamoah

Another notable midfielder on this list is Kwadwo Asamoah, a versatile left-footed player who has represented the Ghana national team 74 times.

Asamoah was born on the 9th of December 1988, and he is known for his hard work, intelligence, strength, and ability to read and win possession.

Interestingly, most of his decorated footballing career was played in Italy, with his June 2008 signature for Udinese kicking off his career. His impressive performance caught Juventu’s attention as he joined them in 2012.

Meanwhile, his six seasons at Juventus saw him win 6 consecutive Serie A titles as well as 4 Coppa Italia and 3 Supercoppa Italiana. Not only that, he helped Juventus to 2 UEFA Champions League finals which they finished second.

He also lost the 2019 UEFA Europa League final when he joined the Inter side in 2018 before leaving for Cagliari in 2021. Asamoah played 2 World Cups and 4 AFCONs for Ghana before his October 2022 retirement.

Karim Abdul Razak

Karim Abdul Razak is a former Ghanaian midfielder, and he was born on 18 April 1956 in Kumasi. He represented the Ghana national team 90 times between 1975 and 1988. His professional football career started with Asante Kotoko in Ghana.

Interestingly, his outstanding performance earned him a call-up to the national side, where he won the 1978 AFCON.

His role in the team’s cup victory made him the player of the tournament. In addition, he later won the African player of the year, the second Ghanaian to do so.

At the club level, Razak won 3 Ghanaian Premier League, 1 FA Cup, and 1 SWAG Cup with Asante Kotoko. He also won the league with the US New York Cosmos and Joint League Cup with Al Ain FC in Saudi Arabia.

Thomas Partey

Thomas Teye Partey plays for the Ghanaian national team and Arsenal FC. He was born on 13 June 1993, and he plays the defensive midfield role. Partey is known for his defensive ability, passing, dribbling, and breaking opposition attacks.

After an impressive spell with Ghanaian Odometah’s youth ranks, he moved to Europe and joined the Atletico Madrid reserve team. Establishing his position in the club was challenging initially, and he spent some time on loan at Mallorca and Almeria.

Luckily, his return from the loan was fruitful as he helped Atletico to the 2018 UEFA Europa League and Super Cup. He also won the 2020/21 La Liga before leaving for Arsenal. Partey had played 3 AFCONs with Ghana and fired them to the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

Michael Essien

Without mentioning Michael Kojo Essien, this list of the best Ghanaian midfielders is incomplete. The former Chelsea player was known for his fierce tackling, shot power, and ball recovery. His leadership and technical abilities were also top-notch.

Meanwhile, his European journey started when he moved to Bastia in 2000, and his impressive form attracted Lyon. He led Lyon to two consecutive league titles, amongst other trophies, and joined Chelsea in 2005.

Easien’s quality helped the London team to their first-ever UEFA champions league, 2 EPL titles, 4 FA Cups, and others. He later joined Real Madrid on loan before joining AC Milan in 2014. Also, in his 59 games for Ghana,
he scored 9 times and came 3rd and 2nd in the 2008 and 2010 AFCONs, respectively.

Alright, time to round up! Ghana has produced some great midfielders to play football. We have mentioned some who had left their print in the football world.
While most have retired, we still have the likes of Mohammed Kudus Qudus at Ajax and Thomas Partey at Arsenal, making the Black Stars proud.