The 2023-24 European season has come to an end with every country celebrating its top players who excelled and lifted their flag high.
Ghanaian footballers across Europe made the country so proud in every corner of the continent. England, France, Italy, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Denmark, Serbia, Germany, Belgium and many other European countries witnessed the good performances of Ghanaian footballers.
Here Sportsworldghana’s Amakye Ansah explores the Ghanaian talents that thrived in the 2023-24 European football season.
Check out the top 10 Best Ghanaian Players of the season.
1.Mohammed Kudus
Club: West Ham United
Age: 23
League: English Premier League
Appearances: 45 in all competitions
Mohammed Kudus is indeed a modern-day footballer. His versatility is unique. In his first season in the EPL, the 23-year-old former Ajax forward has caught the eye of many big clubs all over the world with Liverpool ready to activate his £85million release clause.
The season has been an incredible one after being the leader of successful dribbles in the top 5 leagues in Europe. His goal against SC Freiburg has been voted for as Westham United’s goal of the Season.
With many stellar performances for the London club, he has proven to be one of the best players in the EPL. With 13 goals in all competitions scored and 6 assists recorded, the numbers even belied his sensational performance.
He rounded off an amazing season with a great scissor kick against Manchester City on the final day of the season in Westham’s 3-1 defeat at the Etihad.
2. Inaki Williams
Age: 29
Country: Spain
Club : Athletic Bilbao
League: Spanish La Liga
Appearances: 39 in all competitions
Athletic Bilbao missed out on a UCL slot but they have had a great season under Ernesto Valverde. They lifted the Copa del Rey for the first time in 40 years. Ghanaian forward Inaki Williams is part of this incredible success.
He scored his 100th goal for the club in the 2-2 draw against Osasuna in Week 35. Williams was Athletic Bilbao’s second-highest scorer after Gorzka Guruzeta who scored 14 goals and provided 5 assists. The Ghanaian forward scored 12 goals in La Liga and 2 in the Spanish Copa del Rey.
Inaki enjoyed a great season which helped him beat competition from the Moroccan duo Brahim Diaz and Yousef En-Nesyri for the Best African Footballer in Spain. With 5 assists provided in all competitions, the forward remains one of the most deadly attackers in the Spanish La Liga.
3. Abdul Baba Rahman
Age: 29
Country: Greece
League: Greece Super League
Club: PAOK FC
Appearances: 44 in all competitions
Abdul Baba Rahman has finally found his feet once again in Europe. After a series of career-threatening injuries, the former Chelsea left-back has enjoyed a very successful season in Greece with PAOK.
The Blues finally released him after being in their books since 2015. Baba’s PAOK beat Aris 2-1 to lift their fourth Greek Super League title on the final day.
Baba Rahman played a very key role in PAOK’s success with the Ghanaian scoring 5 goals and assisting three times. It has been a great season for Abdul Baba Rahman as he has proved to the world that he still can play football at the top level.
He was Ghana’s best left-back in Europe in the 2023-24 season.
4. Antoine Semenyo
Age: 24
Club: Bournemouth
Country: England
League: English Premier League
Appearance: 36 in all competitions
The son of the former Okwawu United midfielder Larry Semenyo, Antoine Semenyo, has enjoyed an incredible season for AFC Bournemouth. The striker moved to the Premier League from Championship side Bristol City in the 2022 summer and struggled in his first season.
In his sophomore season, the Chelsea-born Antoine Semenyo has wowed the Bournemouth family with many amazing displays. Under Spanish tactician Andoni Iraola, Semenyo scored 8 goals and assisted twice making him the joint highest Ghanaian scorer in the EPL alongside Westham United’s Mohammed Kudus.
In March, the forward who can play across all the front three was nominated for Player of the Month which is a testament to how incredible he has been throughout the campaign.
5. Abdul Fatawu Issahaku
Age: 20
Club: Leicester City
Country: England
League: Championship
Appearances: 43 in all competitions
Leicester City secured an immediate return to the English Premier League after winning the Championship in a grand style. Abdul Fatawu Issahaku made 43 appearances in all competitions for Leicester City.
In the championship, the 20-year-old winger made 40 appearances and was a star turn after scoring 6 goals and providing a whopping thirteen assists in 40 games.
The youngster was crowned Leicester City’s “Young Player of the Year” after an amazing display from the on-loan Sporting CP player. With a release clause of €17.5 million, it is 95% likely that Leicester City will permanently sign him.
The next step for the super-talented Ghanaian winger is the English Premier League.
6. Alfred Duncan
Club: Fiorentina
Age: 31
Country: Italy
League: Italian Serie A
Appearances: 38 in all competitions
It remains a mystery why Alfred Duncan has never been an integral part of the Black Stars of Ghana. The 31-year-old has been a regular figure in the Italian Serie A since 2013 when he joined Inter Milan at a very young age. He has performed extremely well in the 2023-24 season as he has helped Viola to qualify for the finals of the Europa Conference League where they will play against Greek side Olympiacos.
An all-action midfielder who can play everywhere in the midfield role, the Ghanaian has been part of Vincenzo Italiano’s central midfield of Arthur Melo, Mandragora and Maxime Lopez. Duncan’s aggression, tackling, jumping and shot power have made him one of Fiorentina’s favourite sons.
Duncan has scored 2 goals and provided 5 assists for Viola helping them to secure a Europa Conference League slot. The icing on the cake for Duncan and his Fiorentina will be beating Olympiacos in the finals of the Conference League.
7. Ibrahim Osman
Age: 19
Club: FC Nordsjælland
Country: Denmark
League: Danish Superliga
Appearances: 44 in all competitions
Brighton & Hove quickly secured the signature of the young Ghanaian forward after Westham United decided against signing him. Ibrahim Osman is a delight to watch, simply. The 20-year-old has been a menace in the Danish Superliga with some incredible stellar performances.
Nurtured at the famous Right to Dream Academy and polished in Nordsjælland in the Danish SuperLiga, the youngster is full of pace, dribbling and the ability to trick any defender on any day. He has scored 5 goals and provided 7 assists.
While Nordsjælland will be disappointed to finish outside the European places in the Danish Superliga, Osman Ibrahim will be a huge consolation for the Right To Dream Academy partners.
8. Alexander Djiku
Age: 29
Club: Fenerbahce
Country: Turkey
League: Turkish Super Lig
Appearances: 38 Appearances in all competitions
Alexander Kwabena Djiku Baidoo has been an integral part of Fenerbahce’s defence in the Turkish Super Lig. Djiku missed the last match of the season after being suspended due to a red card he got against Galatasaray.
He made a total of 38 Appearances for Fernabache as he helped secure a slot in the UCL playoffs for the club after missing the title with just three points. He was one of Fernabache’s highly-rated defenders after putting up so many great performances in the season.
9. Lawrence Ati Zigi
Age: 27
Country: Switzerland
Club: St. Gallen
League: Super League
Appearances: 41 in all competitions
The only goalkeeper to make the list. I call him Mr Regular as he has been a consistent performer for St. Gallen in the Swiss Super League since moving to the club from Sochaux in 2020. The 27-year-old helped St Gallen finish 5th in the Swiss Super League Championship Group.
The club won a slot for Europa Conference League which is a great feat for the Ghanaian goalkeeper. Out of the 36 league games, Lawrence Ati Zigi made an impressive 35 appearances for St. Gallen.
Ati Zigi has been arguably Ghana’s best and most consistent goalkeeper in the last four seasons and he ended the season in a very healthy state
10. Andre Ayew
Age: 34
Country: France
League: French Ligue 2
Club: Le Havre
Appearances: 20 in all competitions
The skipper for the Black Stars is at the twilight of his career but nothing shows that he will down his tools anytime soon. The 34-year-old after struggling to find a club at the beginning of the season has been an amazing coup for the lowly Le Havre.
Andre Ayew began his Le Havre career on a very disappointing note in January 2024 after receiving a red card against Nantes in his debut.
That did not destabilise Dede as he bounced back in a grand style to lead the struggling club to avoid relegation. Ayew scored 5 goals in 19 appearances for the club making him the joint-top scorer alongside Mohammed Bayo of Guinea and Emmanuel Sabbi of the USA in the French Ligue 1.
Le Havre finished a point above the relegation zone. Dede Ayew also scored in Le Havre’s 3-1 defeat against Strasbourg in Round 16 of Coupe de France.
Honourable mentions:
Jerome Opoku
The former Fulham academy defender Jerome Opoku has had an incredible first season in Turkey. The 25-year-old made 34 appearances in the season for Basaksehir. He helped secure a UEFA Conference League place for the Turkish side after finishing 4th in the Super Lig.
Gideon Mensah:
Gideon Mensah was part of the Auxerre’s team after making 27 appearances in the season. The 25-year-old helped Auxerre win the French Ligue 2.
Elisha Owusu:
The 26-year-old Ghanaian midfielder also helped Auxerre win the French Ligue 2 and secured a return to the French top division. The midfielder was a cog in Auxerre’s midfield. Elisha made 32 appearances in all competitions.
Bernard Tekpetey
The 26-year-old Ghanaian striker won his 4th league title with Ludogorets Razgrad in Bulgaria. Tekpetey made 48 appearances in all competitions. He scored 17 goals and provided 8 assists. He is one of the most prolific Ghanaian players in Europe in the 2023-24 season.
