The 8 Greatest Players in Ghanaian Football History

Read on to find out about 8 of the best Ghanaian football players of all time.

Ghana has been the birthplace of some of Africa’s greatest football players, many of which have gone on to be huge stars across Europe, and, of course, their national team. The Black Stars are also widely regarded as one of the strongest footballing countries on the continent.

Some of these players became legends of their teams or leagues, while others paved the way for Ghanaian football and players across the world. Here are eight of the greatest Ghanaian football players of all time.

Samuel Kuffour

If you wanted a man to beat the soccer odds in a game you needed to win, you probably didn’t have to look much further than Sammy Kuffour. The center-back spent most of his career at Bayern Munich, playing over 170 games and even netting a few goals.

For Ghana, he represented his nation over 50 times, and while he couldn’t win an international trophy with the Black Stars, he is widely regarded as a trailblazer for Ghanaian players in Europe.

Michael Essien

Michael Essien is one of the best African midfielders of all time, and one of the best to ever play in the Premier League. He made a name for himself booting up for Chelsea, where he made almost 170 appearances and scored a few goals as well.

He then played in Spain with Real Madrid, spent time in Italy with AC Milan, and made a few appearances for Panathinaikos in Greece. For the Black Stars, he played 59 times, scoring nine goals in his international career.

Anthony Yeboah

Tony Yeboah is another legendary Ghanaian that is still spoken about today. The big striker had to wait almost a decade before getting his big break in Europe, but once he did, he couldn’t be stopped. He made 123 appearances for Eintracht Frankfurt, scoring 68 goals in the process.

He then moved to Leeds, where he made close to 50 appearances, netting the ball 24 times. He then returned to Germany, making 100 appearances for Hamburg and scoring 28 goals. In his time he was one of the most feared strikers, and he punished every mistake an opponent made.

Asamoah Gyan

While Asamoah Gyan may be famous for missing that penalty against Uruguay in the World Cup, he is still one of the most successful and talented Ghanaian players ever. He has played in Italy, France, England, and across the Middle East.

While he never spent more than a few seasons at any club, he made an impact wherever he went. He made 346 club appearances in his career and scored 177 goals. For Ghana, he was getting a goal every other game, ending his international career with 109 appearances and 51 goals.

Abedi Pele

Abedi Pele is arguably the best Ghanaian player of all time and one of the best African players to ever step foot onto a pitch. He played across Africa, the Middle East, and Europe, with his best spell being at Marseille in France.

He was once the Ghanaian national team captain and played internationally for 16 years, scoring 19 goals in 73 appearances. Considering many called him the “African Maradonna,” you can imagine the skill he possessed.

Andre Ayew

Andre Ayew is one of the few legendary Ghanaians still playing today. Currently with Nottingham Forest, Ayew has played in the Middle East, France, Turkey, Wales, and England.

He made his debut with the Black Stars in 2007 and has gone on to make 113 appearances and score 24 goals.

Sulley Muntari

You can’t talk about legendary Ghanaian players without mentioning Sulley Muntari. The formidable midfielder has played across Europe, most famously with Inter Milan, AC Milan, Portsmouth, and Sunderland.

He was famed for his ability to spot a pass and create chances, and he wasn’t too bad in front of the net, either. In his club career, he scored 35 goals in 347 appearances, and he scored 20 goals in 84 appearances for Ghana.

Stephen Appiah

Stephen Appiah didn’t waste any time making a name for himself outside of Ghana. He spent time at Udinese, Parma, the mighty Juventus, and Fenerbahçe. He finished his career with a total of 382 appearances and 48 goals for club and country combined.

For Ghana, he played 67 games and scored 14 goals, and was named the Ghanaian Footballer of the Year twice. In his club career he won Serie A and the Turkish Süper Lig.