Top 5 Ghana Defenders Of All Time

In a list containing legends such as Kuffour and Mensah, Ace Football has ranked and profiled the five greatest Ghana defenders of all time.

While goals win games, conceding them almost always ends in defeat. Mastering the art of defending is a must for any team in the beautiful game, something Ghana has definitively done.

The West Africans have had the great fortune of boasting many formidable defenders, helping them win an impressive four Africa Cup of Nations titles in their eight decade-long history.

So, without further ado, Ace Football ranks and profiles the five best Ghana defenders of all time.

Harrison Afful

The right-back is a product of Feyenoord’s Ghanaian-based academy. He spent his first two seasons as a professional at Asante Kotoko on loan and won the Ghana Premier League, before leaving his homeland.

Harrison Afful has since starred for ES Tunis in Tunisia and Major League Soccer outfit Columbus Crew. The defender has claimed several major club honors abroad, including the CAF Champions League in 2011 and the 2020 MLS Cup.

In international football, meanwhile, Afful has won 84 caps with Ghana. The Columbus Crew star made his debut in 2008, forming part of the team that finished as runners-up in the 2010 and 2015 AFCON tournaments.

He won the Ghana Player of the Year award in 2015.

John Paintsil

The former full-back is best remembered for his six-year spell in England, where he reached the Europa League final with Fulham in 2009. He also played for West Ham and Leicester City.

John Paintsil had spells in his homeland and in Israel as well, before hanging up his boots in South Africa in 2016.

The 40-year-old won 83 caps for Ghana’s national team, helping the Black Stars reach the knockout rounds of the 2010 and 2014 World Cups.

Jonathan Mensah

The Accra-born defender has played club football in Ghana, South Africa, Spain, France, Russia, and currently the United States.

Jonathan Mensah has certainly covered a lot of mileage in his career. It wasn’t until 2017, though, that he really found a home at Columbus Crew in the MLS, after mixed spells across Europe.

The 31-year-old has since made over 100 appearances for the American outfit and succeeded Wil Trapp as the captain in 2020.

At international level, Jonathan has won 68 caps since making his Ghana debut in 2009. The former Granada star helped the Black Stars win the 2009 African Youth Championship and the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup. He was also part of the squad that made five consecutive AFCON semi-final appearances; as well as qualifying for the 2010 and 2014 World Cups.

John Mensah

Nicknamed the ‘Rock of Gibraltar’ for his physique, John Mensah was a force to be reckoned with during his days representing the West Africans.

The 39-year-old, who formally retired in 2017, won 82 caps at international level. He helped Ghana’s U-20 side finish as runners-up in the FIFA World Youth Championship. He then progressed to the semi-finals and final of the 2008 and 2010 AFCON tournaments respectively with the senior outfit.

Mensah was also a part of the Black Stars squad which reached the knockout stages of the 2006 and 2010 World Cups. In fact, he frequently captained the side in the latter competition in South Africa.

Aside from starring as a Ghana defender, Mensah had a long club career in Europe. The Obuasi-born star played in Italy, France, and England for clubs such as Lyon and Sunderland. He last played football in Sweden for second-tier outfit AFC Eskilstuna.

Mensah was voted Ghana Player of the Year in 2006.

Samuel Kuffour

Topping our list of the best Ghana defenders in history is Samuel Kuffour.

The Ghanaian is best remembered for a stellar 12-year spell at Bayern Munich in Germany. He made 277 appearances and won 14 titles for the club, experiencing success in the Bundesliga and the Champions League along the way.

The record three-time Ghana Player of the Year twice finished as the runner-up in the African Footballer of the Year rankings.

On the international scene, Kuffour won the FIFA U-17 Championship with Ghana in 1991. He claimed Bronze in the 1992 Olympic Games and was part of the squad that reached the last-16 of the 2006 World Cup.

Visit the link here to see who are the 10 greatest Ghanaian footballers in football history.