Ace Football presents a detailed list of the best footballers to have played for the Black Stars.
In its rich football history, Ghana has introduced some of Africa’s finest football talents. While a number of these players have gone on to play for European national teams, others have preferred to stick to their roots.
As a result, Ghana have remained as one of the most powerful national teams in Africa. The four-time AFCON winners have consistently competed for continental trophies while retaining their place as one of the most successful African nations in the World Cup history.
Let’s take a look at our picks for the best Black Stars XI of all time.
Goalkeeper and Defenders
Goalkeeper: Richard Kingson
The current goalkeeping coach of Ghana featured in two World Cups for the Black Stars while finishing as AFCON runner-up in 2010.
During his club career, Kingson played for several Turkish and English clubs, including Birmingham, Galatasaray, and Blackpool. Between 1996 and 2012, Kingson made 90 appearances for the Black Stars, securing a spot among the nation’s most consistent international players.
Left Back: Addo Odametey
Odametey was an integral part of the Black Stars team that won back-to-back AFCON titles in 1963 and 1965. Having also played in AFCON’s 1968 final, he holds the record for the most appearances in the competition’s final.
Establishing a reputation as one of the best African players of his era, the Ghana defender played for both of the country’s football giants: Asante Kotoko and Hearts of Oak.
Centre Back: Samuel Kuffour
After moving to Bayern from Torino’s U19 side in 1993, Kuffour quickly established himself as one of the best defenders of the Bundesliga.
He spent 11 seasons at the German club, winning the Champions League, six Bundesliga titles, and four DFB Pokal cups. Similar to his spell at Bayern, Kuffour started his international career from Ghana’s junior teams.
After winning the FIFA U-17 World Cup with the Black Stars in 1991, he quickly developed into a starter for Ghana. The three-time African Footballer of the Year winner made a total of 54 caps for Ghana, featuring in their impressive World Cup campaign of 2006.
Centre Back: John Mensah
Another member of the Black Stars in the 2006 World Cup, Mensah retained his place in Ghana’s starting XI until their next World Cup campaign four years later.
His consistent performances at the heart of Ghana’s defence was one of the key reasons behind the Black Stars’ advance to the quarter-finals.
The former Rennes and Lyon star made 86 appearances for Ghana, playing both as a centre-back and a right-back in his international career.
Right Back: John Paintsil
Having finished as Youth World Cup runner-ups with Ghana in 2001, Paintsil gradually broke into the Black Star’s senior team, where he made 89 caps.
Similar to Mensah, Paintsil played for the Black Stars in the 2006 and 2010 World Cups. He was also a starter in Ghana’s AFCON campaign in 2010, where they lost the final against Egypt.
Paintsil spent the most successful years of his club career in Israel. However, a move to the Premier League in 2006 earned him transfers to West Ham, Fulham, and Leicester.
Midfielders
Defensive Midfielder: Michael Essien
The Chelsea legend quickly rose to prominence when he moved to Stamford Bridge from Lyon in 2005. A £24.4 million deal generated doubts around the club’s gamble on his abilities.
However, Essien soon became a fan-favourite with his incredible performances in midfield. His performances also made him an undisputed Ghana starter for several years.
The three-time Ballon d’Or nominee played for the Black Stars in their 2006 World Cup campaign. He also led Ghana to a second place in AFCON four years later, taking his caps tally to 59.
Central Midfielder: Sulley Muntari
One of Jose Mourinho’s first signing at Inter, Muntari was everything you expect from a physical central midfielder. He won the Champions League and the Serie A with the Nerazzurri, securing his place among Ghana’s most decorated internationals.
Muntari played for Ghana’s U20 team before breaking into the senior team in 2002. He made 84 caps for the Black Stars, featuring in two World Cup and two AFCON tournaments.
Attacking Midfielder: Karim Abdul Razak
One of the greatest African midfielders of all time, Abdul Razak, was the talisman of the Ghana side that won the AFCON in 1978.
Razak won the African Footballer of the Year award in the same year, establishing his reputation as one of the finest African talents of his era. He played for MLS side NY Cosmos before moving to the Emirati team Al Ain in 1981.
He became the UAE Pro League’s top-scorer a year after his arrival, flourishing in his more attacking role at the club. For the Black Stars, he scored 25 goals in his 70 appearances.
Attacking Midfielder: Abedi Pele
Pele is widely considered among the greatest African footballers of all time. The Ghana legend rose to prominence as part of the Ghana squad that won the AFCON in 1982.
It did not take long before he attracted interest from several European clubs. However, it was a transfer to Marseille in 1988 that kick-started the most successful part of Pele’s career. The ‘African Maradona’ won the UEFA Champions League and three consecutive Ligue 1 titles at Marseille.
In 1992, a veteran Pele took the AFCON by storm, scoring three goals in his five appearances for the Black Stars. Ghana finished the tournament as the runner-ups, but Pele won the Player of the Tournament award.
Forwards
Centre Forward: Tony Yeboah
Yeboah was famous for his incredible speciality in scoring long-range shots. He made his international debut on 17th February 1986, when he was 19 years old.
Yeboah formed a unique partnership with the legendary Abedi Pele during the 1992 AFCON. He played in all of his side’s five games, scoring twice. However, the Black Stars eventually missed out on the title after losing the final against Ivory Coast on penalties.
At the club level, Yeboah spent an incredible spell at Eintracht in the early 90s. He won back-to-back top-scorer awards at Bundesliga in 1993 and 1994 while finishing as the league’s runner-ups two times.
Centre Forward: Asamoah Gyan
Ghana’s most-capped and top-scorer of all time, Gyan is the Balck Stars’ greatest striker ever. After scoring in his senior international debut in 2003, Gyan went on to become a starter for Ghana for many years to come.
His impressive performances for Ghana in the 2006 World Cup convinced Udinese to sign him. He went on to play for Rennes and Sunderland in Europe before moving to the Emirati side Al Ain in 2011.
Gyan appeared in all of Ghana’s games in the 2010 World Cup as they reached the tournament’s quarter-finals. He earned a spot in the Team of the Tournament for his three crucial goals against Serbia, the United States, and Australia.
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