Sports
Five Ghanaian football stars who lost huge monies, properties from court rulings
Due to various reasons, some Ghanaian football stars have become entangled in lawsuits that have led to significant financial losses.
But these former footballers, once wealthy and adored at the peak of their careers, lost their investments to business partners, ex-wives, and ex-teammates, among others.
The reasons for these losses vary, with some stemming from failed business ventures, while others are related to marriage and relationships.
Here are five Ghanaian football stars who have lost monies or properties due to court rulings:
Sulley Ali Muntari
In 2019, a Milan court ordered Ghanaian football great, Sulley Muntari, to pay an amount exceeding $100,000 to Italian businessman Rodrigo Renato Gianno.
A Ghanasoccernet report from 2022 indicates that despite agreeing to pay the debt, Sulley Muntari defaulted, prompting the businessman to travel to Ghana and take him to the Accra High Court.
The businessman’s decision was to compel Muntari to comply with the Milan court’s order and settle his debt.
The reports add that the debt was incurred during Muntari’s time at Milan, where he engaged the businessman to book plane tickets and hotels for him.
Asamoah Gyan
Asamoah Gyan is included on this list due to two cases that resulted in significant losses of property and finances.
The first and major one is the protracted marriage annulment scandal with his now ex-wife, Gifty Gyan.
The former Ghana striker was ordered by the High Court to transfer ownership of a house in the United Kingdom and a four-bedroom house in Spintex, Accra, to his ex-wife.
Gyan was also mandated to relinquish ownership of a gas filling station and two cars to Gifty Gyan.
Additionally, Gyan has been paying GH₵25,000 in alimony to his ex-wife.
Arthur Moses
In 2014, former Ghana international, Arthur Moses, experienced turmoil in his marriage, which resulted in him losing most of his properties to his ex-wife, Patience Arthur, in a messy divorce scandal.
After months of court proceedings, the Supreme Court of Ghana ruled in favor of his ex-wife, awarding her GHS 1 million (approximately USD 160,000) in alimony and some of Moses’ properties, including his houses, cars, and businesses.
Michael Essien
The former Chelsea midfielder is the latest Ghanaian football star to suffer a significant loss in court and is due to lose some properties.
A Daily Guide report on June 15 indicated that two houses belonging to the legendary midfielder are to be auctioned to offset debts he owes to various individuals and institutions.
The auctioneer estimates that one of the properties is valued between $20 million and $30 million.
John Mensah
John Mensah and his ex-wife Henrietta divorced in 2014, and the Accra High Court, presided over by Justice Doris Bempong, ordered the ex-Ghana captain to make certain financial commitments and transfer specific properties to her.
However, in 2022, Henrietta disclosed that John Mensah allegedly sold off the properties and, after initially making alimony payments, has since stopped.
Sports
I Failed In Front of the World Four Years Ago — Lookman’s Touching Speech After Winning CAF Award
Super Eagles star, Ademola Lookman had delivered a touching speech after winning the 2024 CAF Men’s Player of the Year award.
According to him, he learned from his failure four years ago which made him a better player.
He said: “Just over four years ago I failed in front of the world. Fast forward four years, I’m the best player in Africa,” Lookman said after receiving the award.
“I want to say to the young children and people watching this: don’t let your failures weigh you down that they break your wings. Matter of fact, turn your pain into your power and continue to fight.
“Firstly. I want to thank the Almighty God for everything he has been doing in my life, and everything he has been blessing me with.
“I want to thank the president, I want to thank all my teammates- club and country. I want to thank them for all their support and love that they gave me.”
“This award today is a blessing to me, to my family, to my nation, and to be recognized as the best player in Africa. It’s something incredible and I’m extremely proud of.”
Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman, South Africa’s Ronwen Williams, and Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie emerged as some of the standout winners at the 2024 Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards.
Lookman, who plays for Atalanta, clinched the prestigious CAF Men’s Player of the Year title, beating contenders such as Simon Adingra, Achraf Hakimi, Ronwen Williams, and Serhou Guirassy.
South African goalkeeper Ronwen Williams dominated the night, bagging both the Men’s Interclub Player of the Year and the Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year awards.
Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie, known for her stellar performances, was named Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year.
Full List of CAF Awards 2024 Winners
CAF Men’s Player of the Year: Ademola Lookman (Nigeria)
Women’s Interclub Player of the Year: Sanaa Mssoudy
Men’s Interclub Player of the Year: Ronwen Williams (South Africa)
Women’s Club of the Year: TP Mazembe
Men’s Club of the Year: Al Ahly FC
Men’s National Team of the Year: Ivory Coast
Women’s National Team of the Year: Nigeria
Men’s Young Player of the Year: Lamine Camara
Women’s Young Player of the Year: Doha El Madani
Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Nigeria)
Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year: Ronwen Williams (South Africa)
Women’s Coach of the Year: Lamia Boumehdi
Men’s Coach of the Year: Emerse Faé
Goal of the Year: Mabululu (Angola)
Brazil legend Ronaldo has confirmed he wants to become president of the country’s football governing body to address a “deep crisis” the sport is facing nationally.
“I have hundreds of motivations, but I think the biggest of them is really to restore international respect to Brazilian football,” he said in an interview on Monday with the Globoesporte website.
Ronaldo said he wanted to be an “alternative for significant change” as candidate for the job of running the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF).
“O Fenomeno” (“The Phenomenon”), as the 48-year-old became known over the course of his 1993-2011 career, said he wants to use the CBF presidency to help Brazil’s national team to regain its glory as five-time world champions.
“The Selecao has to recover its prestige. I’ll do everything so that the players understand the historic importance of playing for the national team,” he said.
Ronaldo scored both goals when Brazil beat Germany in the 2002 World Cup final in Japan, and was twice winner of the Ballon d’Or.
To lodge his CBF candidacy, he needs the support of Brazilian regional clubs and federations.
To get those, he promised to travel “all around Brazil” and share the “incredible plans” he has for the sport.
The date of the next CBF election has not yet been set, but should happen between March 2025 and March 2026, according to Brazilian media.
‘Much deeper problem’
Current CBF chief Ednaldo Rodrigues has been criticized for slotting in temporary coaches for the national team after Tite’s 2022 exit while waiting for Carlo Ancelotti to arrive — something that did not happen when the Italian decided late last year to extend his contract as manager of Real Madrid.
Currently coached by Dorival Junior, the Selecao are fifth in South America qualifying for the 2026 World Cup tournament, seven points behind leaders Argentina.
“My problem is not Ednaldo. The problem is much deeper. My goal is to bring the people closer to the Selecao. Today, the people are indifferent when the Selecao plays,” Ronaldo told Globoesporte.
“I am an alternative of significant change for Brazilian football, which is going through a deep crisis,” he said.
Ronaldo, a former star for Barcelona, Inter Milan and Real Madrid, already has leadership experience.
In 2018, he took majority control of Spain’s Real Valladolid, and in 2021 did the same for Cruzeiro, the Brazilian club where he started his career.
He sold his Cruzeiro stake in April this year.
In his interview, Ronaldo said he was in talks to “very soon” sell his Valladolid stake to avoid “any obstacle” to his CBF candidacy.
AFP
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