Sulley Muntari

Sulley Muntari was one of the most powerful and technically complete midfielders Ghana has produced, a ball-winner with a thunderous shot who reached the very top of European club football and left an indelible mark on the Black Stars.

Early life

He was born Suleyman Ali Muntari on 27 August 1984 in Konongo, in the Ashanti Region. He came through Liberty Professionals in Ghana, the same academy that produced a generation of Black Stars, before earning a move to Europe as a teenager.

Club career

He made his name at Udinese in Italy, featuring in more than 150 matches before joining Portsmouth in England, where he helped the club win the FA Cup in 2008. His crowning club achievement came at Inter Milan, where he was part of the historic 2009-10 treble, winning the Serie A title, the Coppa Italia and the UEFA Champions League in a single season. He later played for AC Milan and clubs across several countries.

Ghana

He joined the Black Stars in 2002 and made more than 80 appearances. At the 2010 World Cup he scored a spectacular long-range goal against Uruguay in the quarter-final, part of Ghana's memorable run to the last eight, and he represented the country at multiple World Cups and Africa Cup of Nations tournaments.

Playing style and legacy

A tireless, tactically intelligent midfielder capable of playing anywhere across the middle, Muntari combined defensive steel with an eye for the spectacular. His treble with Inter places him among the most decorated Ghanaian players in history.