Three Black Stars heroes who lit up the English Premier League

Anyone who knows anything about football will not be surprised to see Michael Essien’s name on this list. Essien is one of the greatest Ghanaian players and one of the best players to have ever stepped onto a football pitch. His £24.4 million transfer to Chelsea in 2005 was a world record fee for an African footballer.

Essien started his professional career in France, playing for Bastia and Lyon, where he earned a reputation for being an enforcer in the middle of the park. Chelsea paid Lyon £24.4 million for Essien in 2005 as they sought to build a squad capable of challenging for honors. Essien’s addition to the all-star Chelsea squad made the London club a favorite with everyone betting on soccer online to win the Premier League, which they did during Essien’s first season.

During his nine years with Chelsea, the superstar midfielder won two Premier League titles, four FA Cups, the League Cup, the FA Community Shield, and the UEFA Champions League. During that time, Essien played 256 games and scored 25 goals.

Essien never managed to recapture his scintillating Chelsea form later in his career, turning out for Real Madrid, AC Milan, and later Panathinaikos, Persib Bandung, and Sabail, but he will forever be a Premier League legend, and deservedly so.

Ask any Leeds United supporter who their favorite Ghanaian footballer is, and 100% of them will answer Tony Yeboah. Yeboah may have only spent 2.5 seasons at Leeds United’s Elland Road stadium, but he endeared himself to the fans with his penchant for scoring spectacular goals, winning the coveted Goal of the Month and Goal of the Season awards.

Yeboah started his professional career with Asante Kotoko before playing for Cornerstones Kumasi and Okwawu United. His 35 goals in 35 games for Okwawu earned him a move to FC Saabrucken in 1988. The star striker had a challenging time in Germany because he was one of the first black players to feature in the Bundesliga, and he endured racist abuse, sometimes at the hands of his team’s supporters.

He transferred to Eintracht Frankfurt in 1990 and silenced the abuse by establishing himself as a deadly striker, scoring 68 goals in 123 games. Yeboah became Frankfurt’s club captain and became the first African Bundesliga captain.

Leeds United paid £3.4 million for Yeboad in January 1995, and he became an instant hit with the club’s fans. He scored 12 goals in 21 league appearances during his first season and ended his Leeds United career with 32 goals in 66 appearances. It wasn’t just his goals tally that stood out but also how they were scored.

His volley against Liverpool and his spectacular double against Wimbledon in the 1995-96 season stand out, with one of the latter winning the Goal of the Season. Footage of Yeboah’s goals is shown on the big screens around Elland Road before games despite them being almost two decades old—a club legend in every sense of the word.

Jordan Ayew was always destined to play professional football. He is the son of the legendary Ghanaian Abedi Pele and has footballing brothers, Andre and Ibrahim Ayew. Like many African footballers, Ayew began his career in France, serving as a trainee with Marseille in 2006. He made his Marseille debut in 2009, playing 111 games and scoring 14 goals.

Ayew moved to Lorient after a brief loan spell with Sochaux. His dazzling forward play and ability to function as a speedy winger earned him a move to Aston Villa in the Premier League. Aston Villa paid £8 million for Ayew but were relegated in the 2015-16 season, with Ayew finishing as the team’s top goalscorer.

Following their relegation, Aston Villa needed to raise funds, and Ayew was sold to Swansea City, where his brother Andre played. A season and a half later, Crystal Palace came in for Ayew, initially on loan and then with a £2.5 million transfer fee.

Although Ayew has only found the back of the net 23 times in 211 games for Crystal Palace, he is one of the passionate Selhurst Park fans’ favorite players. His work rate is second to none, and he often provides his teammates with selfless passes. He is also Ghana’s all-time leading scorer in the Premier League when all his goals are considered.

Ayew is third in all-time appearances for the Ghana national team. To date, he has earned 120 caps. Only Asamoah Gyan (109) and Andrew Ayew (120) have represented the Black Stars more times.

Although Michael Essien, Tony Yeboah, and Andrew Ayew are three of the most stand-out Black Stars who have graced the Premier League with their presence, many more Ghanaian players have shone brightly in European football’s biggest and most prestigious club league.

The aforementioned Asamoah Gyan played 34 goals in a struggling Sunderland team, yet still managed ten goals and four assists. You also have Christian Atsu, who initially signed for Chelsea but is best known for his dazzling skills and dancing celebrations for Newcastle United.

Defender Jeffrey Schlupp has played over 200 Premier League games for Leicester City and Crystal Palace, while midfielder Thomas Partey is nearing 100 Premier League appearances for Arsenal.

The players mentioned in this article show just some of the incredible footballing talent Ghana has produced over the years. They serve as inspiration for millions of young Ghanaians who dream of becoming Premier League footballers. With hard work and determination, those dreams can come true.