body-container-line-1
06.03.2015 Sports News

Dream team: Ghana's all-time 11 since independence

By Allsports.com.gh
Dream team: Ghana's all-time 11 since independence
06.03.2015 LISTEN

Allsports' 11 best Black Stars players since Ghana gained independence includes; Richard Kingston, John Paintsil, Addo Odametey, John Mensah, Sammy Osei Kuffour, Michael Essien, Golden Boy Abdul Razak, Abedi Pele, Osei Kofi, Edward Acquah and Asamoah Gyan

Justification for the 11-man squad selected
Richard Kinston: He played in two FIFA World Cups and was part of the Black Stars team that finished runner-up in the 2010 AFCON.

John Paintsil: Was an active member of the Black Stars team that played in the FIFA World Cup in 2006 and 2010 and also helped Ghana to reach the final of the Africa Cup of Nations in 2010.

Addo Odametey: He won two Africa Cup of Nations with Ghana in 1963 and 1965 and was the captain of the 1965 winning team.

John Mensah: He was the pillar in defence for the Black Stars team that played in both the 2006 and 2010 World Cups.

Samuel Osei Kuffour: The former Bayern Munich defender was part of the Ghana team that played in the 2006 FIFA World Cup and also played at all levels of the junior national teams of Ghana and won the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 1991. He was voted the BBC African Player of the year 2001, after winning the UEFA Champions League with Bayern Munich.

Michael Essien: The former Chelsea man was part of the Black Stars team that made their maiden appearance in the FIFA World Cup, 2006 and also helped Ghana to place 2nd in the AFCON 2010. He was voted the 2006 BBC African Footballer of the Year.

Abdul Razak: He was the talisman of the Black Stars team that won the 1978 Africa Cup of Nations and was subsequently voted the best player of the tournament and also won the Africa Player of the Year, 1978.

Osei Kofi: The former Kotoko nimble footed player was part of the 1963 and 1965 AFCON winning teams. In 1965 he was the one who orchestrated Ghana's win against Tunisia in the grand finale. Osei Kofi is also Ghana's all-time joint top scorer in the AFCON, a feat he shares with Asamoah Gyan, with 7 goals apiece.

Abedi Pele: The maestro as he is affectionately called was a regular member of the 1982 AFCON winning team and also captained the Black Stars to the final of the 1992 AFCON, but they lost through a marathon shootout to Ivory Coast. He was the first player to win the African Footballer of the Year, three consecutive times.

Edward Acquah: The man with sputnik shot, scored two of the three goals that won Ghana their first ever AFCON on home soil against Sudan. He scored 40 goals for the Black Stars and was a joint top scorer for Ghana, until Asamoah Gyan recently surpassed that feat.

Asamoah Gyan: He has played in all of Ghana's FIFA World Cup appearance, scoring 6 goals as Africa's greatest scorer in the competition's history. The Al Ain striker is also Black Stars all-time top scorer with 40 goals and was also part of the Black Stars team that reached the final of the 2010 and 2015 AFCON finals, but lost on both occasions.

Substitutes (19) making a total of 30
Robert Mensah, Ben Acheampong, Chris Briant, Kwasi Appiah, Awuley Quaye, Mohammed Polo, Stephen Appiah, Malik Jabir, Jones Attoquayefio, Wilberforce Mfum, Andre Ayew, Aggrey Fyn, Ibrahim Sunday,  Tony Yeboah, Baba Yara, Kwasi Owusu, Opoku Afriyie, Adolf Armah, and Sulley Muntari

The coach to lead the team is: C.K Gyamfi - He masterminded three of Ghana's four AFCON victories in 1963, 1965 and 1982.

Assistant coach: Milovan Rajevac, the Serbain trainer- He guided the Black Stars to the quarter finals of the FIFA World Cup in 2010, which equaled Africa's best feat in the competition.

body-container-line