The last decade has witnessed a new generation of Ghanian stars build on the work, influence and careers of their less well-known predecessors.The Black Stars of Ghana have been to the FIFA World Cup twice and they have many good players that have proved their worth. The Black Stars of Ghana has won the Africa Cup of Nations four times, both in 1963, 1965, 1978 and 1982 and there was no way they could have achieved this without these great players. Even though Ghana was not able to make it to the World Cup until 2006, they still have had some fantastic players that have played for Ghana in the course of their rising into a world contender.Having said that lets now go ahead and list the 7 best Ghanian footballers of all times.
1. Opoku Nti
Without any doubt, he was and still remain the best Ghanaian footballer in the early 1980's, Opoku Nti was able to help Ghana win the 1982 African Cup of Nations and was a key player for Ghana before Abedi Pele came along. Popularly called Zico by his teammates in honor of the Brazilian footballer and 1983 FIFA player of the year. Nti was also the runner-up to the 1983 African Footballer of the Year award. Today, Nti is the player that was a major inspiration for the current Ghanaian national team.
2. Michael Essien
Born on 3rd December 1982, began his football career with liberty professionals in Ghana then moved to France in 200 to join Bastia then joined lyon in 2003. In 2005 he signed in with Chelsea, he recently signed in with a Serie A club, Milan on 27 January 2014. Michael Essien play as both a defender and a midfielder and could fit into any team in the World. He represented Ghana at the 1999 U-17 World Cup and 2001 U-20 World Cup. He was in Ghana’s first ever World Cup in 2006 and also in the 2008 African Cup of Nations all-star team.One of the most popular names in African and International football.
3. Richard Kingson
A Ghanaian Goalkeeper. Born on june13, 1978, Richard Kingson impressive moves at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, 2008 African Cup of Nations and the 2010 FIFA World Cup earned him a place in this list. He was in the All-Star Team in both 2008 and 2010 African Cup of Nations. He is also known as ‘Faruk Gursoy’. See Also [Popular Ghana Actors and Actresses]
4. Abédi Pelé
Ghanaian attacking midfielder Abédi Pelé was adored with ridiculously good technique, a deadly eye for goal and the confidence to take the ball and make something happen. He’s best remembered for his two glorious spells at Marseille in the late ’80s and early ’90s (including many memorable goals) as well as his African Cup of Nations win with Ghana in 1982. He remains the Ghana national team’s highest ever scorer with 33 goals and is widely regarded as the greatest football talent to come out of Africa. Given the abundance of talent which has emanated from the continent in recent years, including the likes of Didier Drogba and Samuel Eto’o, that is high praise indeed.
5. Robert Mensah
A player that's life ended shortly, Robert Mensah was the main goalkeeper for Ghana at the beginning of the 1970's before Richard Mensah was even born. During 1970 and 1971, Mensah was able to finish ninth and second in African Player of the Year voting, but his life was suddenly cut off in November of 1971 after he was stabbed during a bar bar fight, with lots of potentials still inside of him. Who knows what further impact he could have had for Ghana, such a great Goalkeeper
6. Ibrahim Sunday
Born on July 22 1944, the 1971 African Footballer of the Year, Ibrahim Sunday was able to help Ghana during the late 1960's and early 1970's as he helped the Black Stars to two consecutive African Cup of Nations finals (both of which they lost). Sunday was also one of the first African footballers to play in Europe, despite the fact that he was on the bench most of the time while with Werder Breman.
7. Asamoah Gyan
If one player symbolised Ghana’s run to the quarter-final of last summer’s World Cup it was Asamoah Gyan. While his goals saw him turn the heads of Europe’s top clubs, his penalty miss in the dying seconds of injury time against Uruguay earned him the kind of infamy which could haunt him for the rest of his career. Gyan played much of the tournament alone up front and finished with three goals before fluffing his lines at the crucial moment with the chance to send his country to the semi-finals at the expense of Uruguay. Despite the mishap Sunderland boss Steve Bruce still felt Gyan a decent punt at £13 million and subsequently signed the striker from French side Rennes. He has since taken to the Premier League like a duck to water – perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised, he was crowned African Footballer of the year in the year 2012