Once hailed as one of Ghana’s brightest prospects after helping the Black Starlets win the 1995 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Ecuador, Awudu Issaka’s career took an unexpected and painful turn in Europe, where the fight for playing time led him down a path he now regrets.
In a revealing interview with Citi Sports back in 2019, Issaka confessed to turning to juju (black magic) in a desperate bid to dethrone German football legend Thomas Häßler at Bundesliga side 1860 Munich, a gamble that ultimately failed and cost him more than just money.
“My biggest obstacle at 1860 Munich was Thomas Hassler; there were times where I even prayed that he would pick up an injury so I could replace him. I even paid for a cow to be slaughtered for a blood sacrifice so I could take his spot but all to no avail. My advice to those playing now is that they should let their talent speak for them instead of trying to employ black magic against others,” he said.
Issaka further revealed that his reliance on such practices drained him financially, and urged young players to trust in their natural abilities.
“I lost a lot of money through such things, so they should concentrate on their God-given talent,” he added.
Despite his incredible skill set and early promise, Issaka’s professional career was marred by inconsistent game time and poor club decisions.
His time at 1860 Munich reached its lowest point during the 2003/04 season when the club was relegated from the Bundesliga and hit by scandal involving then-president Karl-Heinz Wildmoser.
Issaka, disillusioned and hurt, refused a demotion to the second team and the conversion of his professional contract to amateur terms. He walked away from Germany entirely, returning to Ghana, bitter and financially drained.
But amid the chaos, Issaka’s salvation came not from rituals or agents, but from his marriage to Amina Issaka, the woman who stood by him through his darkest days.
“Life became so tough that I had to rely on my wife to get by. She sold waakye to support me and the family and the business went really well. This phase taught me many valuable lessons and built my character. It taught me that life is all about what you want to achieve. She is a good wife,” he further stated.
Having retired from football, Issaka currently runs a football academy in Ghana.
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