Gerald Asamoah: Ex-footballer flies surgeons to Ghana to provide free heart surgeries

The surgeons and nurses arrived from Germany over the weekend and are set to operate on 50 children with heart conditions.

Asamoah is sponsoring the surgeries through his foundation, which is called the Gerald Asamoah Foundation.

The 45-year-old was born in Mampong in Ghana but moved to Germany at a young age, where he developed to become a professional footballer.

He went on to play for the German national team, making 43 appearances and scoring six goals between 2001 and 2006.

The former forward became the first African-born black player to ever play for Germany and scored on his debut against Slovakia in an international friendly.

He also represented the European nation as a key player at the 2002 World Cup in South Korea/Japan and the 2006 World Cup, which was hosted by Germany.

In a career that spanned nearly two decades, Asamoah lined up for Hannover 96, Schalke 04, FC St. Pauli and Greuther Furth.

Since hanging his boots, Asamoah has managed Schalke 04’s youth teams before later taking a role as the club’s team manager.

Despite spending much of his adult life in Germany, Asamoah still has strong ties to Ghana and frequently visits his home country to do some philanthropic work.