Semenyo, Sulley Muntari, and 6 other Ghanaian stars who suffered racist attacks

Over the weekend, two Ghanaian footballers made the headlines for racist attacks they suffered while playing for their respective clubs.

Racism has no place in football and society has been the slogan for long but football’s governing body FIFA, has constantly been criticised for not doing enough to tackle the issue.

The incidents over the weekend, however, were not the first time Ghanaian stars have suffered racist abuse while playing. Over the years, several Ghana internationals have had to endure this shameful act by unscrupulous individuals and fans.

Here, Pulse Ghana lists eight Ghanaian players who have endured racist abuse in recent times.

1. Sulley Muntari

In April 2017, while playing for Pescara in a Serie A match against Cagliari, Muntari was subjected to racist chanting from sections of the crowd.

He reported it to the referee, but instead of stopping the match, the referee booked Muntari for dissent. Feeling unsupported, Muntari walked off the pitch in protest.

The Italian Football Federation initially suspended him for leaving the field, but the ban was overturned following global outrage. FIFA and other football bodies later highlighted his courage in standing up against racism.

Muntari said:

I was being abused because of the colour of my skin. That’s not right. I had to walk off.

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2. Kevin-Prince Boateng

In a 2013 friendly between AC Milan and Pro Patria, Boateng was subjected to monkey chants by fans. In protest, he kicked the ball into the crowd, removed his shirt, and walked off the pitch, prompting both teams to abandon the match.

3. Tony Yeboah

At Eintracht Frankfurt in the early 1990s, Yeboah faced monkey noises and racist taunts from fans. A section of the fans booed and attacked him for being the first black player signed by the club.

Despite this, Yeboah became the first African Bundesliga club captain. He was also the top Bundesliga scorer twice in 1993 and 1994. The abuse marked a painful chapter in his Bundesliga career.

4. Lawrence Ati-Zigi

During a Swiss Super League match in October 2020, Ghana goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi was targeted by racist chants from fans of FC Lugano while playing for FC St. Gallen. Lugano later apologised publicly for the incident.

Also in August 2024, Ati-Zigi was once again subjected to racial abuse during St. Gallen’s UEFA Europa Conference League game against Slask Wroclaw. The same week, some Ghanaian stars, including Inaki Williams, Abdul Baba Rahman, Joseph Paintsil, and Emmanuel Boateng, took to social media to support the shot-stopper.

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5. Benjamin Tetteh

Ghanaian forward Benjamin Tetteh experienced monkey chants from extreme supporters during a match for Sparta Prague in the Czech Republic, prompting him to terminate his contract.

This was revealed by former France midfielder Rio Mavuba in his 2018 book, where he wrote:

We played the first match against the Bohemians in Prague. At the start of the game, Ghana's striker Benjamin Tetteh was left lying in front of the tribune of the most radical fans. Some of them immediately started making monkey sounds. I was shocked.

6. Inaki Williams

Although born in Spain to Ghanaian parents, Williams endured racist insults during a La Liga match against Espanyol in January 2020. He publicly condemned the abuse and called for it to end.

After the game, he explained what happened to the Athletic Club website:

I'm a little sad because of the draw, but especially because I have suffered racist insults. It's something that no black player or player of any race wants to hear. It's something totally out of place.

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7. Christopher Antwi-Adjei

Schalke 04’s Christopher Antwi-Adjei was subjected to vile racist comments during a cup tie against FC Lokomotive Leipzig on Sunday, August 17, 2025.

The incident happened just 13 minutes into the match when the midfielder went to take a throw-in near the touchline. Home supporters directed racist language at the 30-year-old, forcing officials to halt play temporarily. 

Antwi-Adjei and Schalke captain Kenan Karaman immediately alerted the referee, who stopped the game so Leipzig could announce on the stadium speakers.  

But rather than showing support, sections of the home crowd made things worse by booing Antwi-Adjei every time he touched the ball for the rest of the match. The club has since condemned this attack.

8. Antoine Semenyo 

During the 2025/26 Premier League opener between Liverpool and Bournemouth, Black Stars forward Antoine Semenyo was reportedly racially abused by a 47-year-old man in the first half.

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The match was halted temporarily after he alerted the referee. He later went on to score a brace despite his side losing 4-2. 

The Premier League, FIFA, GFA, and many football greats condemned the attack. 

Later, the suspect was arrested, granted bail, and banned from all stadiums in the UK. The case is still ongoing.