The next destination of our alphabetical world tour is Ghana. One of only three African nations to reach the World Cup quarter-finals (along with Cameroon and Senegal), Ghana have enjoyed their golden period on the World stage in the last 15 years.
According to the Premier League website, 26 players have represented Ghana in the Premier League, the first of whom was…
First Player – Nii Lamptey (Aston Villa, Coventry City; 1994-96)
One of two Ghanaians to make their Premier League debut in 1994/95 along with Anthony Yeboah, wonderkid Nii Lamptey became the first when he featured for Aston Villa in September 1994.
He came to England on the back of a brilliant youth career in which he won the under-17 World Cup in 1991 with Ghana before he made his name in European club football with Anderlecht and PSV. However, Lamptey was simply not ready or suited for English football and struggled to make an impact, first during a loan spell at Villa and then in the following season with Coventry.
Ultimately, he failed to live up to the potential that figures like Pele had predicted and allegations came to light of exploitation by his agent. Though he didn’t have an impact in England on the pitch, he can proudly stake claim to being the first Ghanaian to play in the Premier League.
Most Appearances: Michael Essien – 168 (Chelsea; 2005-14)
Chelsea legend Michael Essien joined the club in 2005, becoming the club’s record transfer. He spent the best part of the next decade with the Blues, during which time he won almost everything on offer.
Two league titles, four FA Cups, one League Cup and the 2011/12 Champions League sit in Essien’s honours list, and he was voted player of the year for the Blues in 2006/07.
A defensive midfielder, Essien had a knack of scoring spectacular goals, including 17 in the Premier League. He departed Chelsea in January 2014 for AC Milan, having spent the 2012/13 season on loan at Real Madrid.
Top Scorer: Jordan Ayew – 25 (Aston Villa, Swansea, Crystal Palace; 2014-18, 2018-present)
Jordan Ayew’s goal against Watford in Crystal Palace’s last game before the Premier League was suspended brought him level with the legendary Tony Yeboah as the top-scoring Ghanaian in Premier League history. A solitary goal after lockdown puts Ayew out on his own though and it is he who is the leading Ghanian Premier League goalscorer.
Ayew’s 25 goals have come across five seasons in English football with Aston Villa, Swansea and Crystal Palace. Yeboah, meanwhile, spent two-and-a-half years with Leeds in the 1990s, scoring all of his goals in his first 18 months at the club.
Current Players
Three Ghanaians featured in the 2019/20 season before the suspension. Christian Atsu (Newcastle), Jordan Ayew and Jeffrey Schlupp (both Crystal Palace) all appeared in 2019/20, while Daniel Amartey remains with Leicester but did not feature last season after suffering a long term ankle injury in 2018.
Elsewhere, forgotten Chelsea man Baba Rahman is still under contract with the Blues, though he hasn’t made a Premier League appearance since 2015/16 and has spent most of the last four years out on loan.
Trivia
- Three Ghanaians have won the Premier League – Michael Essien, Daniel Amartey and Jeffrey Schlupp.
- The six most capped Ghanaians of all time have all played in the Premier League – Asamoah Gyan (108), Richard Kingson (92), John Pantsil (90), Andre Ayew, Sulley Muntari (both 85) and John Mensah (83).
- Ghana have won the Africa Cup of Nations four times, only Egypt (7) and Cameroon (5) have won it on more occasions.
