Ghana meet Uruguay at Qatar 2022 this Friday in a repeat of the 2010 World Cup quarter-final. So, where are those Black Stars players like Asamoah Gyan and Sulley Muntari now?
Milovan Rajevac led Ghana to their best finish at a World Cup to date at South Africa 2010. He oversaw the Black Stars team from 2008 to 2010 before returning briefly to the helm in 2021. He also boasted a stacked squad led by John Mensah at the first World Cup in Africa.
Kevin-Prince Boateng joined the Ghana side for the first time ahead of the 19th edition of FIFA’s quadrennial tournament. He flew to South Africa on the back of helping Portsmouth reach the FA Cup final. A decision Rajevac would relish with Boateng playing all seven ties.
Boateng and Gyan let Ghana dream at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa
Ghana had only previously appeared at the 2006 Germany World Cup before qualifying for South Africa 2010. Their reward was a spot in Group D with Germany, Australia and Serbia. And Gyan got Ghana off to a dream start with an 85th-minute penalty to edge Serbia 1-0.
Another Gyan penalty helped the Black Stars hold Australia to a 1-1 draw after going a goal down through Brett Holman. It meant Rajevac’s side could afford to lose 1-0 to Germany in their final tie to finish in second and make the knockouts on goal difference over Australia.
A runners-up finish ensured Ghana met the USA, the Group C winners, in the Round of 16. Yet the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg would witness the Black Stars’ dream run continue. Even if Landon Donavan forced the fixture into extra time in the 62nd minute.
Boateng broke the deadlock against the Stars and Stripes only five minutes into the last 16 encounter. The Portsmouth midfielder stole possession off Ricardo Clark and surged at Tim Howard. Gyan then hit home a stunning winning effort just three minutes into extra time.
Uruguay broke Ghanaian hearts in South Africa at the 2010 World Cup
But while Boateng and Gyan let Ghana dream, Uruguay broke the Black Stars’ hearts in the quarter-final at the 2010 World Cup. It looked certain that Rajevac’s side would be the first African team to reach a semi-final. But Luis Suarez had other ideas at Soccer City Stadium.
Muntari broke the deadlock with one of the last acts of the first half from 40 yards out. But Diego Forlan – en route to winning the Golden Boot – lashed home an equalising free kick 10 minutes after the restart. It gave La Celeste control but the tie still required extra time.
The Black Stars had wasted a number of chances to hit the South Americans on the break but spurned each one. Suarez also failed to score for Uruguay with his few sights of goal. Yet the forward made his most telling impact on the tie in extra time in La Celeste’s area.
Ghana threw everything at a late winner and almost saw Andres Scotti turn the ball into his own net trying to deny Gyan. Substitutes Stephen Appiah and Dominic Adiyiah then tried their luck. But after Suarez legally blocked Appiah’s shot, he handled Adiyiah’s on the line.
It was a clear and obvious act to stop Ghana scoring and drew a straight red card. But he would be celebrating on the sidelines seconds later as Gyan skimmed the crossbar from the penalty spot. And thus, the Johannesburg showdown headed for a penalty shootout.
Gyan showed great courage to step up and strike Ghana’s first attempt and found the back of Fernando Muslera’s net after Forlan converted for Uruguay. But Muslera guessed right and denied Mensah and Adiyiah. It set Sebastian Abreu up to win it and he would at 4-2.
Ghana are now back in the knockout stages of a World Cup for the first time at Qatar 2022 and meet Uruguay on Friday. So, before the Round of 16 showdown at Al Janoub Stadium, HITC Football looks at where former Ghana boss Rajevac’s 2010 World Cup side are now…
Richard Kingson (GK): Ghana’s 2010 hero is at the 2022 World Cup as a coach
Richard Kingson was an integral part of Ghana’s 2010 World Cup squad after playing every minute of their campaign. Muntari also once hailed the 90-cap Black Stars icon as ‘my best goalkeeper’ of all-time. But he would not save any of Uruguay’s penalties in the shootout.
The 44-year-old will now hope to help Ghana seek revenge on Uruguay at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. He linked up with the national set-up again in 2021 as the goalkeeper coach five years after retiring. Kingson enjoyed a 21 year playing career between 1995 and 2016.
Ghanaian outfit Great Olympics gave Kingson his first and last chance with the goalkeeper returning to retire at the club. He also enjoyed spells with Antalyaspor and Galatasaray in Turkey, Hammarby in Sweden and Birmingham, Wigan Athletic and Blackpool in England.
John Paintsil (RB): Former West Ham, Fulham and Leicester star retired in 2016
John Paintsil represented Ghana at two World Cups across his 83-cap career between 2001 and 2013. His efforts in four appearances at Germany 2006 preceded the right-back joining West Ham United. He went on to enjoy spells at Fulham and Leicester City in England, too.
Hapoel Tel Aviv re-signed Paintsil in 2012, six years on from selling him to the Irons. But he moved to South Africa with Santos FC in 2013 before joining Maritzburg United for the last two years of his career. A spell as Kaizer Chiefs’ assistant coach followed from 2016-2017.
Isaac Vorsah (CB): The defender shone in South Africa as a Hoffenheim player
Isaac Vorsah shone in South Africa as a TSG Hoffenheim player after spending five years at the Bundesliga club from 2007 to 2012. Die Kraichgauer brought the centre-half to Europe from Asante Kotoko before spells with RB Salzburg and FC Liefering in Austria up to 2016.
Moroccan side FAR Rabat acquired Vorsah briefly in 2017 before he moved to Saudi Arabia with Ohod Al-Medina that summer. But the 2017/18 campaign would be the last season of the 43-cap ace’s career. He also played at just one World Cup in 2010 for two appearances.
John Mensah (CB): A Sunderland star captained Ghana at the 2010 World Cup
Mensah captained Ghana in three of their four games at the 2010 World Cup, including the quarter-final against Uruguay. Rajevac only elected to rest the centre-half for their second group stage game with Australia. He also trusted Mensah to take a penalty, but he missed.
The 82-cap icon stepped up to take the Black Star’s third penalty but saw Muslera save his strike. Mensah did so as a Sunderland player after joining the Black Cats on loan from Lyon between 2009 and 2011. The 40-year-old retired in 2017 to end his 17-year playing career.
Hans Sarpei (LB): Fortuna Koln hired the Black Stars hero as a coach in September
Hans Sarpei hung his boots up in July 2012 after playing his entire career in Germany. The 36-cap Ghana ace started with Preussen Koln then Winfriedia Mulheim, Siegburger SV, VfL Rheinbach, Fortuna Koln, MSV Duisburg, VfL Wolfsburg, Bayer Leverkusen and FC Schalke.
Fred Osam Duodu gave the defender his Ghana bow in 2000 and the 46-year-old stayed in and around the side until 2010. He later turned to coaching in 2015 at TuS Haltern II before DFB Stutzpunkt. Fortuna Koln hired him as a U17 and U19 trainer scout in this September.
Anthony Annan (CDM): Ghana’s 2010 anchor is still playing today
Anthony Annon anchored Ghana’s midfield against Uruguay at the 2010 World Cup. It was the 64-cap technician’s first and only appearance on the FIFA stage but he played every tie and minute. The 36-year-old earned the last of his caps in 2013 but still is playing today.
Finnish second-tier side TPS signed Annon in March 2022 after three years at FC Inter. His career has also included spells at Schalke, Vitesse Arnhem and HJK Helsinki among others. Ghana took him to the 2010 World Cup whilst at Rosenborg before joining Schalke in 2011.
Samuel Inkoom (RM): The Hearts of Oak ace was among the younger Ghana stars
Samuel Inkoom was among the younger members of Ghana’s 2010 World Cup squad and only featured twice. The 33-year-old has since gone on to amass 44 caps for one goal. He is also still playing today after returning to Ghana after 13 years at Hearts of Oak this April.
The Sekondi-Takoradi native left Ghana in 2009 to join FC Basel, with whom his efforts got Ghana’s attention for the World Cup. He went on to enjoy spells at Dnipro, DC United and Boavista in Ukraine, America and Portugal. He also played in Turkey, Bulgaria and Georgia.
Kwadwo Asamoah (CM): The Ghana icon only retired in October 2022
Kwadwo Asamoah is among Ghana’s most successful players of recent times after winning six Serie A titles and four Copa Italias at Juventus. The 33-year-old joined the Azzurri from 2012 to 2018 after spells at AC Bellinzona, Torino and Udinese after leaving Ghana in 2007.
Two years at Inter Milan followed until 2020 before a short stay at Cagliari Calcio in 2021. After leaving the Sardinia club, Asamoah remained a free agent before retiring in October 2022. He enjoyed 71 caps for his country and assisted one goal over eight World Cup ties.
Kevin-Prince Boateng (CM): The Hertha ace only made his Ghana debut in 2010
Boateng was born in Germany to a German mother and a Ghanaian father and played for Die Mannschaft at various youth levels. But he declared for Ghana and went on to make his debut ahead of the 2010 World Cup. The midfielder has only amassed 16 caps to date.
Ghana took the midfielder to South Africa after helping Portsmouth reach the 2010 FA Cup final. But Chelsea beat Pompey 1-0 after the Berlin native missed his penalty at Wembley. Yet the 35-year-old has a wealth of winners’ medals in his trophy cabinet around Europe.
The Hertha Berlin product won the EFL Cup at Tottenham Hotspur, a Serie A title with AC Milan, the DFB-Pokal at Eintracht Frankfurt and La Liga with Barcelona. He joined AC Milan weeks after the 2010 World Cup on loan from Genoa having left Portsmouth that summer.
Boateng has also played at Borussia Dortmund, Schalke, Sassuolo, Fiorentina and Besiktas during his career. But he returned to Hertha Berlin in 2021 with the aim of it being his last season. Yet their narrow survival convinced the midfielder to hold off on retiring until 2023.
Sulley Muntari (LM): The midfielder has just called time on his career at 38
Muntari has called time on his career at 38 years old after he announced his retirement on Tuesday, November 29. The midfielder enjoyed a 20-year professional career alongside 84 caps for his country. He also lifted titles around Europe, including the Champions League.
The Konongo-born icon helped Inter Milan win on the UEFA stage in 2009/10 alongside the second of his two Serie A titles at the San Siro. It was also a part of a treble-winning season for the Nerazzurri with the first of Muntari’s two Coppa Italia crowns with the Italian giants.
Muntari joined Inter Milan from Portsmouth in 2008 on the back of winning the FA Cup at Fratton Park. It was his only season at the south coast club before spells at Sunderland, AC Milan, Al-Ittihad, Pescara, Deportivo de la Coruna, Albacete and then lastly Hearts of Oak.
Asamoah Gyan (ST): Ghana’s 2010 hero is now a free agent at 37
Gyan was the hero behind Ghana’s story at the 2010 World Cup. He also amassed 107 caps for his country for 51 goals following his debut at just 17 years old in 2003. The striker also represented the Black Stars at the 2004 Olympics in Greece but did not get out of Group B.
Udinese saw the potential Gyan possessed in 2004 when they coaxed the attacker to Italy from Liberty Professionals. He went on to join Stade Rennais in 2008 before Gyan lit up the World Cup in 2010 to convince Sunderland to spend a club record fee of more than £13m.
Yet Gyan only spent two seasons as a Black Cats player and one of those at the Stadium of Light. He joined Al-Ain on loan in 2011 then permanently in 2012 despite scoring 11 goals in 37 games for Sunderland. His career then took in a spell with Shanghai Port from 2015.
Gyan also went on to play for Kayserispor from 2017 to 2019 before moving to India with North East United. Yet six months at the club preceded 10 months without a team before joining Legon Cities FC in Ghana. But he has been a free agent since leaving them in 2021.
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