Great footballers who made great impact on the domestic scene like Baba Yara, Wilberforce Mfum, Edward Acquah, James Adjei, Addo Odametey, Dogo Moro, Osei Kofi and many more missed out on the chance to play overseas.
Some of these players were not spotted because the systems of transfer was not advanced as we have now. The lack of football coverage across the globe meant most great footballers lived, played and died in their country of birth.
Here are all the great Ghanaian players who never caught the eyes of European clubs despite playing some good football.
Abdul Razak
The Golden boy was tormentor in midfield for Kumasi Asante Kotoko and the Black Stars. His ball distribution, skills and eye for goals was amazing. He was an instant hit after joining Asante Kotoko from Cornerstones and he justified his inclusion when he had an opportunity to play for the Black Stars. Abdul Karim Razak printed an indelible mark in the minds of the football fans in 1978 when he played a key role to help the Black Stars win the Africa Cup of Nations on home soil and was eventually voted the Most Valuable Player of the tournament (and subsequently, African Player of the Year).
Mohammed Polo
The dribbling magician is accorded the recognition as the greatest player to ever play for Accra Hearts of Oak and one of the most talented footballers that Ghana has ever produced. Some local soccer connoisseurs believe Mohammed Polo was a better dribbler than Lionel Messi. However, he never got a deal to play in Europe at the time he was making it big on the African scene. He was the conductor of the vibrant orchestra that was the Hearts of Oak team of the mid to late 70, spearheading them to several league titles as well as reaching the final of the CAF Champions League twice in 1977 and 1979, unfortunately missing out on the ultimate both times.
Adolf Armah
Armah was a graceful midfield general for Accra Hearts of Oak and the Black Stars. He was a box to box player with the ability to defend and attack with a sense of control that was enchanting.
The left-footed Armah was part of the powerful Hearts of Oak team of the mid to late 70s that won several league titles and reached the final of the CAF Champions League. He was also one of the players that made Ghana proud in 1978 when the Black Stars won the Africa Cup of Nations on home soil.
Emmanuel Osei Kuffour
The former Black Stars skipper, whose gift was ever so apparent anytime his feet touched a ball, started out as a defender, before he was converted into an attacking midfielder. Osei Kuffour will forever curse his stars for missing out on an opportunity to play in Europe. One could say that the court injunction that prohibited the Phobians from transferring a player during the heydays of Osei Kuffour in 2000 played a part.
The ‘General’, as he was affectionately called, never caught the attention of the European market despite rising to the level of the Black Stars skipper during the 2002 Africa Cup of Nations in Mali.
Stephen Oduro
The diminutive, soft-spoken Oduro spent almost all his entire career with Asante Kotoko from 2000- 2016. He joined the Porcupine Warriors from Real Tamale United (RTU) and had a short stint with Super Sports United in the early 2000.
Stephen Oduro carved a niche for himself as a respected and admired playmaker, who dazzled with flair and finesse across attack. He is an entrenched cult hero at Kumasi Asante Kotoko and is indeed rated as their best player in the past two decades, yet he never played in Europe.
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