GhanaWeb Feature by Benjamin Sackey
Ghanaian football legends have ventured into various career paths in their bid to thrive and continue making history on the global stage.
Many of these legends have undertaken coaching courses to secure licenses, enabling them to manage clubs and national teams, further cementing their legacies.
Yaw Dabo appeals to President Mahama to support football academies financially
This GhanaWeb feature highlights Ghanaian football legends who have taken on new roles:
Anthony Baffoe
Baffoe was born in Bad Godesberg, Bonn, West Germany. He played for FC Köln at 18 before moving to French side FC Metz. After 74 German top-flight appearances for Köln and Fortuna Düsseldorf, he went on to play for seven more clubs, including stints in Hong Kong and Caracas.
He earned 25 caps for the Black Stars, notably participating in the 1992 and 1994 African Cup of Nations.
Post-football career
Baffoe serves as the Deputy Secretary General for Football & Development at CAF. He previously served on FIFA and CAF Football Committees and was involved in organising CAF and FIFA-sanctioned tournaments. In February 2006, he was named Director for International Relations for the Ghana national team.
He is the founder and General Secretary of the Professional Footballers Association of Ghana, maintaining close contact with the FIFPro Players’ Association and collaborating with the Ghana Football Association.
Baffoe is also a FIFA Ambassador for the campaign against racism, a FIFA Ambassador for SOS Children’s Village, and an ambassador for Play Soccer Ghana.
Gyan began his career in 2003 with Liberty Professionals in the Ghana Premier League. He went on to play for Udinese, Sunderland, Stade Rennais, and other clubs, setting numerous records along the way.
Gyan retired as Ghana’s all-time leading goal scorer, amassing 51 goals in 109 appearances. He also holds the record for most goals scored by any African player in World Cup history, with six goals.
Post-football career
After retirement, Gyan established the Asamoah Gyan Foundation, a non-profit organization aimed at improving the lives of vulnerable communities in Ghana and beyond. The foundation focuses on education (especially for girls), improving water and health facilities, and developing sports talent through academies and mentorship programs. It also organizes regional games in partnership with KGL.
He was briefly appointed Chairman of Dr Mahamudu Bawumia’s 2024 Manifesto Team’s Youth and Sports Committee but later resigned and distanced himself from politics.
James Kwasi Appiah
Appiah played for Prestea Mine Stars (1982–1983) before joining Asante Kotoko (1983–1993). He represented the Black Stars from 1982 to 1992, appearing in two FIFA World Cup qualifying matches and captaining the team. He was part of the squad that won the 1982 African Cup of Nations.
Post-football career
Appiah was appointed head coach of the Black Stars in April 2012. Under his leadership, Ghana qualified for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, making him the first Black African coach to take the country to the World Cup.
He later managed Sudanese club Al Khartoum, leading them to a fourth-place finish in his first season. He currently manages the Sudanese national team, which he joined in 2023 and successfully qualified for the 2025 African Cup of Nations.
Otto Addo
Born in Germany, Addo played for the Black Stars for seven years beginning in 1999. He gained international prominence during the 2000 African Cup of Nations and started as a right midfielder in Ghana’s 2006 FIFA World Cup match against the Czech Republic.
He also played in Ghana’s 2–1 win over the United States. His club career included stints with Hamburger SV, Hannover 96, Borussia Dortmund, and Mainz 05.
Post-football career
Addo began coaching with Hamburger SV in 2009, serving as a youth team coach and assistant manager until 2015. In December 2013, he was appointed head scout of the Black Stars ahead of the 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2015 AFCON. He later served as a talent coach at Borussia Dortmund, having previously held a similar role at Borussia Mönchengladbach.
He managed the Black Stars in 2022, leading them to World Cup qualification, returned in March 2024, and has since qualified the team for the 2026 World Cup.
Michael Essien
Essien played for Chelsea, helping the club win the Premier League in 2006 and 2010, three FA Cups, one League Cup, and the UEFA Champions League in the 2011–12 season. He earned over 50 caps for the Black Stars and contributed to Ghana’s third-place finish at the 1999 FIFA U-17 World Championship and runner-up position at the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship.
Post-football career
On August 19, 2020, Essien began training with Danish Superliga club Nordsjælland, where he pursued coaching education. Nordsjælland partners with the Right to Dream Academy in Ghana. The club later confirmed that Essien had joined their coaching staff for the 2020–21 season. In June 2025, he signed a two-year contract to remain as assistant coach.
Maxwell Konadu
Konadu began his professional career with Asante Kotoko FC, winning the Ghana Premier League in his debut season. After brief spells in Tunisia and Germany, he returned to Asante Kotoko in January 1996 before moving to U.D. Leiria in Portugal’s second division. He later played in the Portuguese Liga and lower-division clubs including S.C. Beira-Mar and A.C. Marinhense.
Post-football career
Konadu previously managed Asante Kotoko and was part of the Black Stars that won bronze at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. He also won gold as assistant coach of Ghana’s Olympic Team at the 2011 All-Africa Games in Maputo, Mozambique. He was appointed caretaker manager of the Black Stars for the second time in March 2017 and also coached the local Black Stars. He is currently the head coach of Black Leopards.
Sammy Osei Kuffour
Kuffuor is a Ghanaian former professional footballer who played as a centre-back.
Known for his physical power, Kuffour is best remembered for his time with Bayern Munich, whom he represented for over a decade, winning a total of 14 honours, and playing in nearly 250 official matches.
Kuffour appeared with the Black Stars in the 2006 World Cup as well as in five Africa Cup of Nations.
Post-Football Career
In 2010, after retiring from playing football, Kuffour entered into sports punditry working primarily with South Africa-based channel SuperSports, debuting with the 2010 FIFA World Cup
In August 2013, Kuffour was appointed as a board member of Asante Kotoko and was later named the club’s Chief Executive Officer.
In February 2016, Kuffour was named as member of Black Starlets, after playing for the team in the 1990s.On January 16, 2020, he was appointed as a member of the management board of the Black Stars.
Meanwhile, watch the latest Sports Check interview with Alex Kotey, the GFA Referees Manager below:
