Ishmael Addo and 9 Most Talented Ghanaian Players Who Should Have Been Very Successful Abroad
- Each of them shone brightly in the Ghana Premier League, collecting personal awards and driving their clubs to glory
- Though brimming with talent, these Ghanaian stars couldn’t quite leave their mark on the international stage
- But beyond Ghana’s borders, factors like limited opportunities and tough competition held them back from realizing their full potential
Ghana has long been a cradle of football talent, producing stars who’ve dazzled both locally and internationally. While legends like Abedi Pele, Michael Essien, Tony Yeboah, Asamoah Gyan, Sulley Muntari, and Sammy Kuffour carved out illustrious careers and earned fortunes in Europe, not every Ghanaian talent found the same success abroad.
Some of the country’s most gifted players lit up the Ghana Premier League, won major accolades, and captured fans’ hearts — yet, for one reason or another, they never made their mark on the global stage.
Source: Getty Images
Here’s a look at 10 incredibly talented Ghanaian footballers, including Eric Bekoe, Sammy Adjei, and Ishmael Addo, who, despite their brilliance at home, couldn’t replicate that success internationally.
1. Ishmael Addo
Hearts of Oak’s prolific frontman, Addo won the Golden Boot three times and helped the club win the 2000 CAF Champions League. However, his stints in France and Israel failed to match his domestic dominance.
2. Opoku Afriyie
A legendary striker for Asante Kotoko and Ghana, Afriyie scored twice in the 1978 AFCON final. Despite winning the Ghana Premier League Golden Boot in 1981 with 21 goals, he never had the chance to showcase his talent in Europe. According to ghanafa.org, FIFA President Gianni Infantino paid a touching tribute to the iconic footballer when he passed away in March 2020.
3. Dan Owusu
Three-time GPL Golden Boot winner with Boafoakwa Tano, Owusu was a lethal finisher. Though he claimed over 100 goals in domestic football, he never got the opportunity to play in Europe and did not make much wealth from the profession.
4. Charles Taylor
Known for his flair and dribbling, Taylor was a standout for both Kotoko and Hearts. He dominated the Ghanaian league but struggled to adapt abroad, missing out on the international spotlight. While the iconic player is living a good life now, his football career didn’t bring him significant wealth.
5. Bernard Don Bortey
A dead-ball specialist with undeniable flair, Bortey was central to Hearts of Oak’s success in the 2000s. Despite his brilliance, the Ghana football legend, who was in attendance during last year's Super Clash in Accra, never truly broke into top-level international football.
6. Sammy Adjei
One of Ghana’s top goalkeepers in the early 2000s, Adjei was key to Hearts’ treble-winning season in 2000. But his overseas career didn’t live up to expectations, and he returned home without much impact abroad.
Source: Getty Images
7. Emmanuel Osei Kuffour
Nicknamed "The General," Kuffour was a midfield powerhouse and a GPL icon. Although his domestic legacy is strong, he never made a lasting impression internationally. Clearly, Osei Kuffour's earnings from football were modest at best.
8. Eric Bekoe
According to Transfermarkt, Bekoe led the GPL in goals in 2007/08 with 17 for Kotoko. He impressed during a short stint in Egypt but never transitioned to a bigger European league, despite having the tools to succeed.
9. Emmanuel Clottey
Top scorer in the 2012 CAF Champions League, Clottey impressed with Berekum Chelsea. However, he couldn't sustain that form abroad, and his time in Tunisia didn’t launch the European career many expected.
10. Shaibu Yakubu
Once tipped as a better striker than Asamoah Gyan, Yakubu topped the GPL scoring charts in 2003. Despite playing in Turkey and Greece, he never lived up to his early hype on the international scene.
Dominic Adiyiah's unrealised potential
YEN.com.gh earlier explored 10 reasons former Ghana international striker, Dominic Adiyiah did not reach his full potential in European football, especially at AC Milan.
The former Heart of Lions striker claimed both the Golden Boot and Golden Ball during Ghana's historic victory at the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup with the Black Satellites.
Source: YEN.com.gh
