Ten Ghanaian football stars and their nicknames

Abdul Razak was called golden boy because of his skin colour

Two generations of Michael Osei’s were nicknamed Ember Power

Nicknames amongst footballers is a common trait and Ghanaian footballers whether retired or active are not new to this trend.

Some of them get the nicknames during their formative years but some also pick of the nicknames when they hit the limelight due to their playing styles.

Some also adopt the nicknames of their idol players or fans name their favorite footballers after things they can situate with or legendary players whom they have similar style of play with.

A name like Pele is a common nickname in Ghana because of the exceptional qualities of the Brazilian legend and his contributions to the growth of Football.

In the 1970s, Amusah Ghadamoshi of Hearts of Oak was nicknamed African Pele while Albert Essuman of Asante Kotoko was called Baby Pele.

The 80’s also gave birth to arguably the greatest player ever produced in Ghana in the person of Abedi Pele.

Today we bring you the nicknames of ten Ghanaian players in the post below

Samuel Inkoom – Adwumawura

You can fault Ghana full-back Samuel Inkoom for his occasionally faulty crossing and defensive work but, for a fact, he would always get an ‘A’ for effort. His unique defensive abilities earned him the nickname Adwumawura.

John Paintsil – Agya Koo

John Paintsil‘s semblance to Ghanaian veteran actor Agya Koo earned him a share of the popular moniker.

Paintsil played in two FIFA World Cup tournaments with the Black Stars in 2006 and 2010 where Ghana became the third African country to play in the quarter final phase.

Kwadwo Asamoah – Asokwa Maradona

Former Juventus and Inter Milan midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah perfected his skills in the Kumasi suburb of Asokwa, making the fans to liken his play to the late Argentina legend, Diego Armando Maradona.

Asamoah Gyan – Baby Jet

Arguably the greatest Ghanaian striker of all time, Asamoah Gyan has carved his name in the history books of Ghana despite not being able to win a trophy with the Black Stars. He is Ghana’s all-time top scorer and Africa’s top scorer at the World Cup.

Michael Essien – The Bison

Michael Essien was a member of the Black Stars squad that qualified for Ghana’s first-ever FIFA World Cup tournament in Germany in 2006. His strength in the midfield coupled with his intelligence level earned him the nickname Bison during his stay with Lyon and Chelsea.

Sarfo Gyamfi – Black President

The bearer of this nickname is former Asante Kotoko captain, Sarfo Gyamfi. However, we don’t really know why he was nicknamed as the Black President. But whether it is in tribute to his ‘black’ complexion or unabashed indulgence in the dark arts, only him and the originators of the name can tell.

Michael Osei – Ember Power

Two generations of Michael Osei (both of whom incidentally played for Kotoko) had this nickname. The younger Michael Osei grew up to be a coach of Asante Kotoko. He currently coaches Bibiani Gold Stars.

Yusif Chibsah- Ewisase Nyinaa Six

Yusif Chibsah, when he blossomed with King Faisal and matured at Kotoko, was regarded as the ‘world’s best number 6 by many Asante Kotoko fans and his admirers.

Osei Kuffuor – General

‘Midfield General’ is a term that has been applied to so many exceptional midfielders in the world. But a member of the greatest 64 battalion of Accra Hearts of Oak, Emmanuel Osei Kuffuor made himself worthy of that name.

Abdul Razak – Golden Boy

Karim Abdul Razak was not ‘Golden Boy’ simply because of his light complexion; heck but he was an exceptional player. He was the last Ghana Premier League player to have won the African Footballer of the year award.