PROFILE OF GHANA'S INIMITABLE FOOTBALL GENIUS ABEDI AYEW
Ghana's unsung football icon, Abedi Ayew was born on November 5, 1964. Motivated by an innate desire to strive for success, he defied obscurity and rose to the pinnacle of his career as one of the country's most decorated footballers.
After attending Greenhill International and Ghana Senior High Schools for both academic cum holistic training, he took a keen interest in football the foremost passion of Ghanaians besides religion and politics. Unearthed by Herbert Adika, he featured for Real Tamale United and was duly awarded as Best Young Colts Player by the Sports Writers Association of Ghana in 1978.
An attacking midfielder whose instinctive play and individual brilliance caught the attention of many, he debuted for Ghana in a 2-1 win over the Democratic Republic of Congo on August 8, 1981. The youthful and energetic player was part of the Black Stars who triumphed at the 1982 Nations Cup in Libya.
After a brief spell with Beninese side Dragons where he played alongside George "Goal Machine" Gomashie of blessed memory,the nimble footed player had stints in Qatar, United Arab Emirates, France, Switzerland, Germany and Italy. Under his captaincy, Ghana lost cruelly on penalties to neighbouring Cote D'Ivoire in the 1992 Nations Cup Final.
He scored thrice at the tournament and was awarded the Golden Ball. Nicknamed Pele for his flamboyant and entertaining style of play, he enjoyed a trophy-laden career with French giants Olympique Marseille and won the UEFA Champions League in 1993 after missing out on the Golden Fleece two years earlier.
He capped a Man-of-the-Match perfomance as Marseille who paraded Fabien Barthez, Basile Boli, Jocelyn Angloma, Eric Di Meco, Jean-Jacques Eydelie, Franck Sauzee, Marcel Desailly, Didier Deschamps, Rudolf Voller and Alen Boksic stunned star-studded AC Milan in the Final.
Adjudged African Footballer of the Year thrice in succession from 1991 through to 1993, he also featured for Ghana at the 1994, 1996 and 1998 Nations Cup tournaments.
His last game for Ghana was on January 16, 1998. After a hugely successful spell with Ghana where he netted nineteen goals in seventy-three appearances, the Maestro was duly acknowledged for his immense contribution to football as the Order of the Volta(Civil Division) was conferred on him.
The founder and bankroller of Nania FC who stunned Asante Kotoko in the MTN FA Cup Final on July 24, 2011 proudly fathers three sons who are all footballers namely Andre Morgan Rami Ayew, Jordan Pierre Ayew and Abdul-Rahim Ibrahim Ayew.
His brothers Kwame Ayew won the Portuguese Primeira Liga with Sporting Lisbon in 2000 and Sola Ayew featured for both Hearts of Oak and the Black Meteors.