The Ghana Player of the Year award is an esteemed accolade presented annually by Ghana Football Association in recognition of Ghanaian professional footballers who have performed excellently over the last 12 months. This prestigious award has been presented since 1954 and since then numerous Ghanaian players have been honored for their outstanding contributions on the field.
Ghana Player of the Year Award
The Ghana Player of the Year selection panel consists of coaches, journalists and administrators who select 11 players every season based on their individual performance throughout the year. These players represent a variety of clubs from Ghana’s local premier league all the way up to foreign countries like France, England and Germany. The panel then casts their votes for one player they deem to have best represented Ghana over the course of the past 12 months.
Most successful players
Samuel Kuffour stands out as the most triumphant recipient of Ghana Player of the Year, claiming this accolade three times. André Ayew, Stephen Appiah and Kwadwo Asamoah have all been awarded twice, with Thomas Partey going one better by winning it in consecutive years. In short, Asamoah Gyan’s two victories affirm an unparalleled history for his country at this prestigious award ceremony.
Samuel Kuffour
Samuel Kuffour is one of Ghana’s most celebrated players and arguably the most successful ever Ghana Player of the Year. He won this illustrious award an unprecedented three times, in 1996, 1999 and 2000, firmly establishing himself as Ghana’s all-time leading scorer in this category.
Born in Accra to Ghanaian parents, Kuffour rose to prominence at a young age after joining Ghana’s premier league club Ashanti Gold SC. A powerful defender with strong physicality and technical ability, he was soon courted by European teams such as Bayern Munich who signed him for their youth team aged 17.
Kuffour went on to make over 300 appearances for Bayern Munich during his 12 years with the club, winning numerous Bundesliga titles as well as a UEFA Champions League title in 2001. His success at both domestic and international levels saw him win many accolades during his career including Ghana Player of the Year three times consecutively. He also served Ghana’s national team making over 100 appearances between 1995 and 2008, captaining them from 2003 onwards before retiring from international duty in 2009.
Kuffour has continued to serve Ghanaian football even after retirement by coaching Asante Kotoko FC in 2019; a testament to his dedication for Ghanaian football that gave him so much joy throughout his career.
André Ayew
André Ayew is Ghana’s second most successful Ghana Player of the Year, having won the award twice in 2010 and 2011. The Ghanaian midfielder began his professional career in Ghana with Marseille Académie before moving to Europe with Lorient. During his four years at Lorient, he established himself as one of the league’s best players and also made his first mark on the international stage by helping Ghana qualify for the World Cup in 2006.
In 2010, Ayew joined French side Olympique de Marseille where he was an integral part of their successful team, playing over 100 matches and winning several domestic titles including the Coupe de la Ligue title in 2010 and 2012. He also won the Ghana Player of the Year award in both 2010 and 2011 which further cemented his status as one of Ghana’s greatest players ever.
Ayew left Marseille for Swansea City where he spent four seasons before transferring to West Ham United in 2016. At West Ham, André made a solid start to life in England but unfortunately suffered a serious injury that sidelined him until 2018. He has since returned to full fitness and is back playing regular football again.
Throughout his career, Ayew has been a consistent performer for Ghana at international level, captaining them during the 2017 AFCON tournament which they eventually went on to win- their first major international success since 1982. His many successes on the pitch earned him two Ghana Player of the Year awards – making him only one of two Ghanaian players to have won it twice – thus adding another chapter to this illustrious player’s already impressive legacy in African football.
Stephen Appiah
Stephen Appiah is Ghana’s third most successful Ghana Player of the Year, having won this prestigious award in 2003. Born in Accra to Ghanaian parents, Appiah developed a love for football from a young age and honed his skills playing for local teams before signing for Serie A side Udinese at the age of 18. He spent six seasons with Udinese, making over 100 appearances and earning a reputation as one of Ghana’s best midfielders.
In 2003, he was signed by Italian giants Juventus where he became just the second Ghanaian player to ever play in Serie A. During his two years at the club, he made an impressive 35 appearances and established himself as an integral part of their team before leaving for Fenerbahce SK in 2005. At Fenerbache he continued to show his ability and leadership qualities on the pitch; captaining them to UEFA Champions League semi-finals qualification in 2007 while also winning three Turkish Super Lig titles between 2006 and 2008.
Kwadwo Asamoah
Kwadwo Asamoah is Ghana’s most successful Ghana Player of the Year, having won four out of five awards between 2012 and 2016. Born in Kumasi, Ghana to Ghanaian parents, Kwadwo began playing football at a young age and honed his skills with Liberty Professionals before signing for Italian side Udinese in 2008.
During his six-year stay at Udinese, Asamoah made over 200 appearances and established himself as one of Ghana’s best players as well as one of Europe’s most talented midfielders. In 2012, he moved to Juventus where he went on to win two consecutive Serie A titles while also becoming Ghana’s first ever player to feature in both the Champions League and Europa League finals. He was an important member of the team that won a historic treble in 2015, making him the only Ghanaian player to ever achieve such a feat.
Thomas Partey
Thomas Partey is Ghana’s most recent Ghana Player of the Year winner, having won this award in 2019. Born in Ghana’s capital city, Accra, Partey began his football career at local Ghanaian club, Tema Youth and quickly developed a reputation as one of Ghana’s best midfielders. His strong performances earned him a move to Spanish side Atlético Madrid in 2015 where he established himself as one of La Liga’s best players during his four-year stay with the club.
Partey has been a regular feature for Ghana since making his debut in 2014 against Uganda and has represented Ghanaian national team at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations tournament where Ghana finished runners-up to Cameroon, and his impressive form earned him a nomination for the Ghana Footballer of the Year award which he went on to win in 2019.
Asamoah Gyan
Asamoah Gyan is Ghana’s most successful Ghana Player of the Year, having won the award five times in a row between 2006 and 2010. Born in Accra, Ghana to Ghanaian parents, Asamoah began his football career with Ghana Premier League side Liberty Professionals before signing for Italian side Udinese in 2003. During his seven-year stay at Udinese, Gyan made over 150 appearances and established himself as one of Ghana’s best players as well as one of Europe’s most talented strikers.
In 2008, he moved to French side Rennes where he went on to win two consecutive Ligue 1 titles while also becoming Ghana’s first ever player to feature in both the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League semi-finals. He was an important member of the team that won Ghana’s first ever African Cup of Nations title in 2010, making him the only Ghanaian player to ever achieve such a feat.
Other awards
In addition to this prestigious award there are also several other awards given out every year such as Youth Player of the Year, Coach of the Year and Club Team of the Year titles among others. Special awards are also distributed annually to those deemed deserving for lifetime achievements or significant contributions over multiple years.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Ghana Football Association sets a high standard when it comes to recognizing excellence in football by awarding its best players with prestigious accolades like Ghana Player Of The Year Award. It is a great way to motivate current players while also recognising previous teams achievements which serves as an inspiration for future generations looking to make a statement in world football arena.
Hello! My name is Kwasi Owusu and I've been betting on sports for the last few years, also my passion is slot machines. Everything I learn and experience myself as a player, I write about on the 1957bet blog.
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