Former Black Stars midfielder Michael Essien has reflected on his time with Ghana's national teams, addressing public perceptions of his commitment to the Black Stars.
The legendary Chelsea midfielder, renowned for his illustrious club career, often faced criticism from Ghanaians who questioned his dedication to the senior national team.
Despite this, Essien made 59 appearances for the Black Stars, scoring nine goals and playing a key role in Ghana's historic qualification for their first FIFA World Cup in 2006.
Essien, now 41 and an assistant coach at FC Nordsjaelland, was a vital part of Ghana’s squad during the 2006 World Cup and also featured in two Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournaments. He starred for Ghana at CAN 2008 but suffered an injury in the opening match of AFCON 2010, which sidelined him for the rest of the competition.
Having represented Ghana at every level, from the youth teams to the senior side, Essien remains one of the few players to achieve such a feat. Despite his achievements, the former midfielder is unsure whether Ghanaians fully appreciate his contributions.
"I hope they are. I think I am one of the few players to have gone through every age category, represented the country at those levels, and succeeded. So I hope they are [appreciative of my service to the country]," Essien told Joy Sports.
