A Nigerian icon has made his pick for Ghana's all-time number one, and it's the Chelsea powerhouse Michael Essien.
Rivalry between Nigeria and Ghana never really stops, but sometimes respect cuts across the border. Former Super Eagles forward Peter Odemwingie has named Michael Essien as the greatest Ghanaian footballer of all time.
The ex-Stoke City man made the call during a TikTok live session, when he was asked to pick the best player in Black Stars history. He didn't skip the heavyweights. Abedi Pele, Tony Yeboah, Sulley Muntari, Asamoah Gyan and the Ayew brothers all got their flowers as great players in their own right.
Still, Essien won out. Odemwingie's reasoning was simple: the man was a defensive midfielder who could also score goals. That blend of steel in the engine room and a real threat in front of goal, he argued, set Essien apart from the rest of the pack.
It's a pick with plenty of backing in the résumé. Essien starred for some of Europe's biggest clubs, including Chelsea, Real Madrid and AC Milan, and became known as one of the most complete Ghanaian midfielders of his generation. His power, tactical intelligence and relentless work rate made him a force on any pitch he stepped onto.
Expect the debate to rage on across Ghanaian football circles, where Abedi Pele's magic and Gyan's goals have loyal supporters. But when a Nigerian legend hands the crown to a Ghanaian, people tend to listen.
