Veteran Ghanaian footballer, Mohammed Ahmed, popularly known as Mohammed Polo, has recounted the trauma he, together with his teammates, went through to play for the country.
In an interview with Joy Sports, Polo noted that he and his teammates had rough careers. He explained that football in those days was not a lucrative business as it is in today’s case.
The 1978 AFCON winner added that he was sometimes injected to play even when he was not fit to play.
“In 1974, I was the best player in Ghana so I became a target. It is not like today because good and quality players have to be protected because they make the game interesting. At a point in time, if I was not well, I was injected to play football. We have gone through hell to play football in Ghana,” he said.
Polo added that despite having an ankle injury, he was forced by a subordinate under General Acheampong to play in the 1978 AFCON.
“I was not fit because I had ankle and knee problems, but I had to go on an eastern Europe tour, came back, and was sent to Brazil… When we returned, I decided I was not going to play again, so, I picked up my bag and went home.
“Because Acheampong had a love for football, he appointed a special person who gives him direct information… came to the camp and after speaking to the player, he noticed I wasn’t there… He came to Nima packed his car and started looking for me,” he added.
He added that eventually, the military officer convinced him to join the team for the games, even after he complained to him that he was not feeling well.
Meanwhile, watch GhanaWeb’s tour of Fort Victoria and the Cape Coast Lighthouse below:
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