Ghanaian defender Kojo Peprah Oppong stunned by rapid rise at OGC Nice

Ghanaian youngster Kojo Peprah Oppong says he is “surprised” by how quickly he has broken into the first team at French Ligue 1 side OGC Nice, just months after joining from Swedish club IFK Norrköping this summer.

The 21-year-old was signed for a modest fee and was expected to develop gradually under the shadow of the club’s experienced defenders. But he has quickly become a key figure.

After making his debut as a substitute in the first leg of Nice’s UEFA Champions League qualifier against SL Benfica in August, Oppong has started every competitive game for Le Gym this season.

On Saturday, he again featured in the starting XI during Nice’s Ligue 1 clash with FC Nantes, even with club captain Dante returning from injury.

Reflecting on his unexpected rise, Oppong admitted:

“I’m surprised. I am taking it step by step. I didn’t expect to play this much in the beginning, but I’m now playing a lot and I expect a lot from myself.”

The centre-back also revealed how Dante has been mentoring him behind the scenes.

“It was really good to have him back. He helps us young players a lot. I spoke to him after the game and it was good to have some feedback from him. He said it is important to manage the game, to save some energy, and especially when we are leading, not to attack too much as centre-backs. That was really good advice.”

Oppong’s rapid breakthrough has been one of the standout stories in Ligue 1 this season, and Ghanaian fans will be eager to see how far the rising star can go as he continues to establish himself in France.