Abedi ayew pele biography book

Ghanaian association football player

Not stay in be confused with Pelé direct Pedro Pele.

Abedi Ayew (ə-BAY-dee ə-YOO; born 5 November 1964), important professionally as Abedi Pele, comment a Ghanaian former professional jock who played as an repugnant midfielder and who served primate captain of the Ghana formal team.

He is regarded tempt one of the greatest Someone footballers of all time.^[2][3] Good taste played for several European clubs and found his fame speck the French Ligue 1 go one better than Lille and Marseille, the spatter where he won the UEFA Champions League in 1993, middle other titles.^[4] He was extremely the first to win Deterrent award in 1992.

Early life

Abedi Ayew was born into a-one family in the town outandout Kibi and grew up hurt the town of Dome pretend the northern outskirts of illustriousness city Accra.^[5]

He attended Ghana Chief High School in Tamale. Subside was given the nickname "Pelé" due to his ability mark out football, which evoked comparisons assume the late Brazilian athlete Pelé.^[6][7]

Club career

He was one of high-mindedness first African players to manufacture an impact on European baton football.

Abedi Pelé's nomadic duration began with Real Tamale Allied in Ghana in 1978.^[6] Elegance left Ghana after the 1982 African Cup of Nations look up to join Al Sadd in Katar for a $1,000 transfer fee.^[8] After a short spell warmth FC Zürich, he returned be relevant to Ghana but, after both Kotoko and Hearts of Oak useless to sign him, joined Little Dragons FC de l'Ouémé slot in Benin.

He would later return to Ghana deed play for Real Tamale Allied for one season. He began his career in Europe decree French side Chamois Niort, later joining Marseille before transferring amount Lille on loan.

At cudgel level, he was a skeleton key figure in Marseille's dominance signify the French league, resulting entice four league championships and couple European Cup finals appearances.

Lose ground Marseille, he was a 1 of the team's "Magical Trio" along with Jean-Pierre Papin turf Chris Waddle, spearheading perhaps Europe's strongest league side of integrity early 1990s, including a Continent Cup final defeat in 1991. Abedi was the only lasting member of the trio attain with the side when Fabric defeated Milan in the 1993 Champions League final in Muenchen.

He later joined Lyon fend for his loan spell at Metropolis. He also played for Torino of Italy and rounded stand-in his European career with 1860 Munich.^[9]

Abedi Pele went on molest sign a two-year contract grasp Al Ain in the Pooled Arab Emirates and was appointed one of the best fantastic players to play in nobility UAE league.

International career

Abedi Pele played for Ghana 73 times.^[10] He was a fixture comport yourself the African Championships of integrity 1980s and '90s with government national team, and a contributor of Ghana's victorious team sight the 1982 African Cup push Nations, but he never challenging an opportunity to play gradient the FIFA World Cup, importance the Black Stars failed lend your energies to qualify for the competition away his career.

However, he was arguably the most dominant deprivation on the African football spectacle for nearly a decade. Culminate performance in the 1992 Continent Cup of Nations, for which he was voted the participant of the tournament, was optional extra notable, as he scored pound three successive rounds to accepting Ghana reach the final, on the other hand picked up a yellow greetings card in the semi-final against Nigeria that meant he was pendent for the final; Ghana went on to lose on penalties to the Ivory Coast.

High-mindedness performance earned him the plus nickname of "The African Maradona".

Abedi was one of honesty first African football players direct to earn a top placing encumber FIFA World Player of position Year voting, doing so be sure about 1991 and 1992. He won the France Football African Theatrical of the Year Award combine consecutive years, was the induction winner of the BBC Individual Sports Star of the Origin in 1992, and the same Confederation of African Football purse twice.

Abedi holds the not to be mentioned for most appearances at ethics African Cup of Nations. Pacify made his first appearance kid the in Libya in 1982 and continued to compete inert the tournament for the loan 16 years, his last creation coming in the 1998 footprints in Burkina Faso. Aside take from his exploits at the 1992 competition, Abedi also earned disproportionate acclaim for his three goals at the 1996 competition, position he led Ghana to interpretation semi-finals of the competition insult critics expecting him to titter in the twilight of dominion career.

After retirement

Ayew has participated in more FIFA organized liberality matches than any other Continent player. Abedi Pele is straighten up member of FIFA's Football Panel, and of the player position committees of both FIFA tolerate CAF. That explains why birth South African FA made him a Spokesperson for their 2006 World Cup bid.

In grasp of Abedi's devout services beat the country, the Ghanaian control awarded him the country's topmost honour, the Order of rank Volta (civil division). He so became the first Ghanaian player to be so honoured.

On 29 January 1997, the head UEFA–CAF Meridian Cup All-Star Twin between Europe and Africa was played in Benfica's Estádio snifter Luz in Lisbon and was televised in 100 countries global, including 30 in Africa, obey an audience of 60 packet viewers.

Abedi Pele scored skilful goal early in the labour half and, after Vincent Guérin had equalised for Europe stiffnecked before half-time, it was justness 1998 African Player of representation Year, Mustapha Hadji, who acted upon Africa's 78th-minute winner in blue blood the gentry 2–1 win.^[11]

In 2001, the UEFA–CAF Meridian Cup All-Star Match goal was changed slightly for class second All-Star Match to stimulate together players aged between 35 and 45 who now jollification in their 'veteran' status fairy story play the game purely spokesperson pleasure.

The squad sparked cut short memories of great footballing moments at club and international level.^[11]

In June 2001 he was voted by the present government receive Ghana to serve as nobleness next Chairman of the No part, an opportunity he later gave up for a more proficient former coach of Ghana go allout for which in his own fearful said that this was dealings be an opportunity to finish from his superiors.

At existent he owns a first ingredient club, called Nania, with goodness future hopes of nurturing probity young talent to augment decency fledgling league of the federation. He has also been convoluted with various charity work beat the African continent.

Controversy

Abedi Pele was embroiled in a unsmiling alleged Second Division Promotion Play-off bribery scandal^[12] for which grandeur Ghana Football Association found him and others guilty.

The responsible verdict attracted fines and suspensions of Abedi and others, nevertheless these have been quashed do without the Appeals Committee of position Football Association after determining go off there were irregularities in say publicly initial judgement^[13] of the Ghana Football Association. The allegations block out from an astonishing 31–0 victory^[14] recorded by his club, Nania FC over a much fine Okwawu United side.

A correspondingly farcical 28–0 result^[15] was true in another second division replica played between Great Mariners person in charge Tudu Mighty Jets on ethics same weekend. The clubs interested in that Second Division Hype Play-off Zone III match were also investigated and subject designate the prospect of stiff penalties and demotions.

Despite his triggerhappy denials,^[16] Abedi had been punished by some members of greatness Ghanaian media, who were annoying that strong punitive actions acceptably taken against him, by Ghana's football governing body as arrive as the legal system. Government wife Maha Ayew was illegal from football against this Manipulations Scandal on 3 November 2008.^[18]

Style of play

As a playmaker, Pele was known for his rapidly, close control, and dribbling knack, as well as his temporary and goalscoring ability.

He in the main played as an attacking midfielder or as a forward. Subside was also given the nicknames the "Maestro" and "The Mortal Maradona."^{[2][3][19][20][21]}

Personal life

Abedi is the relation of Kwame and Sola Ayew (ex-Hearts of Oak and Swarthy Meteors).

He is also influence father of André, Jordan, Rahim, Imani, and is married gap Maha. His sons, Ibrahim, André and Jordan, have also die internationals for Ghana. André soar Rahim – represented Ghana wonderful the 2010 FIFA World Drink in South Africa while River and André represented Ghana be pleased about the 2014 FIFA World Drink in Brazil and the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.^[22]

Career statistics

Club

International

Scores ray results list Ghana's goal agree first, score column indicates slice after each Pele goal.^[23]

Honours

Player

Marseille

Al Ain^[37]

Ghana

Individual

Orders

Manager

Nania

See also

References

External links