Former Fulham player Derek Boateng says that his former Black Stars teammate is under appreciated by many.

He says that people do not know his friend Michael Essien that well so belittle his achievements in football.

The former Getafe player played with Michael Essien at all levels of the Ghana national team right from the U-17 level through to U-20 before the pair played for Ghana at the maiden World Cup in 2006.

Boateng thinks that Michael Essien is under appreciated but throughout his footballing career he has always proven to be a winner.

“When people talk about Essien, I think they don’t really know him well,” former Fulham midfielder Boateng, who featured alongside Essien at the 2006 World Cup following their days with Ghana’s U17 and 20 sides, told Goal on Sunday.

“I played with him at the Ghana U17s and we moved to the U20s together, we stayed in the same house in Dansoman, so I know this guy in and out. When I hear people say things not appreciating him, I know they are wrong – they don’t know him.

“No matter what people say about him, he’s a winner and a champion – you can never take that away from him.”

Essien won Ligue 1 twice during his time with French giants Lyon.

After moving to Chelsea in 2005, he helped the Blues win the league in 2005-06 and 2009-10, lifted the FA Cup four times, the League Cup once, the Community Shield once and the Uefa Champions League in 2011-12.