Former Chelsea and Ghana midfield star Michael Essien paid a surprise visit to the Black Stars camp in London ahead of their third-place playoff match against Trinidad and Tobago in the 2025 Unity Cup.
The encounter, set for Saturday, May 31, 2025, at the Gtech Community Stadium, comes after Ghana’s narrow 2-1 defeat to Nigeria in a thrilling semi-final on Wednesday, May 28, 2025.
Essien was spotted at the team hotel, sharing a warm reunion with Black Stars head coach Otto Addo and former captain Stephen Appiah.
The trio, iconic figures in Ghanaian football history, were key members of the nation’s historic maiden World Cup appearance in Germany in 2006.
Now walking the path of coaching, Essien is currently on the technical staff at Danish club FC Nordsjælland, while Otto Addo continues to oversee a new generation of Black Stars talents.
Stephen Appiah, meanwhile, plays a key administrative role as vice president of the Black Stars management committee.
Essien’s presence brought an emotional boost to the camp, particularly for the younger players seeking inspiration and guidance from Ghana’s golden generation.
His visit is seen as timely, as the Black Stars aim to bounce back from the disappointment of missing out on a place in the Unity Cup final.
Ghana’s hopes of winning the revived tournament were dashed by a strong Nigerian side in West London.
In a semi-final that lived up to its billing, the Black Stars showed promise but fell short against their fiercest rivals.
Nigeria’s victory sets up a final clash against Jamaica, who edged Trinidad and Tobago 3-2 in their semi-final thanks to a dramatic last-minute penalty from Richard King.
With the title out of reach, Ghana now shifts focus to Saturday’s bronze medal match.
The Unity Cup has served as a platform for Otto Addo to test a younger, experimental squad, and the game against Trinidad and Tobago offers one last chance for fringe players to make a case for future national team selection.
Watch the video below:
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