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World Cup South Africa 2010
History - Groups - Players - Venues
Favorite Players by Country (Germany 2006)
Group E - Ghana:
Michael Essien
Place of Birth: Accra, Ghana.
Date of Birth: December 8th, 1982
Clubs: Liberty Professionals.
He began his career in a local club in his native Ghana, called Liberty Professionals. He then got a breakthrough when he played in the Under-17 world Cup in New Zealand. At Bastia, he was not very regular, playing at right back, left back and central defense.
In 2001, even though he was one of the youngest players in the tournament, he took part in the World Youth Championship in Argentina, and performed exceptionally well. He made his Ghana full team debut in the 2002 African Cup of Nations.
In 2003 he was sold to Lyon where he kept getting bigger. He played more defensive midfield. And Essien was one of the reasons Lyon won their 3rd consecutive French Title. Essien himself remarks that he has yet to meet anyone who could knock him over.
In August 2005, Essien declared that he would "go on strike" against Lyon because of the club's refusal to trade him to English champions Chelsea.
Essien is now rated one of the most expensive players in the world. He moved from Lyon on a transfer fee that could cripple a whole lot of teams in the world.
Essien starred for Ghana at the 1999 FIFA World Under-17 Championship and graduated to the full national team while still a teenager. He also represented Ghana at U-20 level when the Black Satellites won silver in Argentina (2000) and was a solid presence in the midfield of the Black Stars when they reached the quarter-finals of the 2002 African Cup of Nations.
The prospect of playing in the UEFA Champions League ultimately swung Essien's decision Lyon's way for a €7.8m fee.
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