Samuel Kuffour

Samuel Osei Kuffour (born 3 September 1976) is a Ghanaian retired professional footballer who played as a defender.

Samuel Kuffour
Kuffour in 2010
Personal information
Full name Samuel Osei Kuffour
Date of birth (1976-09-03) 3 September 1976
Place of birth Kumasi, Ghana
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing position(s) Defender
Youth career
1983–1990 Fantomas Kumasi
1990–1991 King Faisal Babes
1991–1993 Torino
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1993–2005 Bayern Munich 175 (7)
1995–1996 → 1. FC Nürnberg (loan) 12 (1)
2005–2008 Roma 21 (0)
2006–2007 → Livorno (loan) 18 (0)
2008 → Ajax (loan) 2 (0)
2009 Asante Kotoko
Total 228 (8)
National team
1993–2006 Ghana 54 (3)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Known for his great physical power, he is best remembered for his time with Bayern Munich, whom he represented for over a decade, winning a total of 14 honours, and playing in nearly 250 official matches.

Kuffour appeared with the Ghanaian national team in the 2006 World Cup, as well as in five Africa Cup of Nations.

Club career

Born in Ghana, Kuffour was brought to Europe by Torino F.C. in 1991 aged just 15, after playing junior football for local teams in his native country. He joined FC Bayern Munich in 1993 from the Italian club. After a season-long loan spell with 1. FC Nürnberg in the second division, he made his breakthrough with the Bavarians.

Kuffour spent 11 seasons with Bayern, rising from the youth teams to be a prominent first-squad member who lifted the UEFA Champions League with the club. He was an integral part of the squad that won the 2000–01 Champions League, also scoring the winning goal in the 2001 Intercontinental Cup, being subsequently named man of the match.[1] Also in that year, he finished second in African Footballer of the Year's voting, repeating the feat accomplished in 1999.[2]

Kuffour was also part of the Bayern team which lost to Manchester United due to two late goals in the 1999 UEFA Champions League Final, famously beating the ground in frustration afterwards, a gesture that endeared him to Bayern supporters. He also became the youngest defender of all-time to score in the Champions League, at the age of 18 years, 61 days during the match against FC Spartak Moscow on 2 November 1994, which ended in a 2–2 draw.[3] Kuffour made over 60 UEFA Champions League appearances, being one of the most decorated African players of all time.[4]

After twelve seasons in Munich and 175 Bundesliga appearances,[5] Kuffour left Bayern in the summer of 2005, and signed a three-year deal with A.S. Roma in a free transfer, thus returning to Italy.[6] He made 21 appearances in his debut season, having spent a period of the season away on international duty and, in his second year, was loaned to UEFA Cup competitor and fellow Serie A team A.S. Livorno Calcio. He played his 89th and last match in European cup competitions for Livorno.[7]

In August 2007, Kuffour had a trial with Premier League side Sunderland, with a view to a permanent move. However, manager Roy Keane confirmed he would not be joining the club, in a post match interview after Sunderland's defeat to Liverpool.[8]

On 28 January 2008, AFC Ajax received Kuffour on a six-month loan contract, with an option for two more seasons. He was released following a lack of form, and was also deemed surplus to requirements by Roma boss Luciano Spalletti, thus becoming a free agent.

In August, it was thought that Kuffour had joined Russian Premier League side FC Khimki. However, it was announced on 10 September, by his agent, that he had retired from professional football with immediate effect.[9] Kuffour rejected the news and stated his desire to continue his career; on 26 January 2009, he was linked to Major League Soccer side Chicago Fire S.C. – the CEO of US-based Sports to Develop Destitute claimed he was helping the player finalise the deal.[10]

In April 2009, Kuffour finally returned to Ghana after a 19-year absence, seeing his career out with a three-month deal with Asante Kotoko FC.[11]

International career

A Ghana international for 13 years, Kuffour won his first cap as a 17-year-old in a game against Sierra Leone on 28 November 1993. He had previously been part of every national team – junior, youth and Olympic level – and became the full squad's captain at the age of 23.

Kuffour had burst onto the international scene at age 13. At junior level, he was a member of the Ghana side that won the 1991 FIFA U-17 World Championship in Italy and the one that was runner-up to Nigeria in the 1993 FIFA U-17 World Championship in Japan. At youth level, he appeared with the team that finished second to Brazil during the 1993 FIFA World Youth Championship in Australia.

Kuffour became the youngest Olympic Football Champion of all-time, when he collected bronze at the 1992 Olympics just before his 16th birthday. He was also a member of the squad that reached the quarterfinals at the same level in 1996.

Kuffour also made one appearance for his country at the 2006 FIFA World Cup finals, against Italy. After a costly mistake in that first match, a 0–2 loss, he was dropped for the next three games as Ghana bowed out in the round-of-16 against Brazil.

On 12 January 2007, the Confederation of African Football voted Kuffour as a member of the Top 30 African Players of All-Time.

Faith/Life after football

In 2003 Kuffour revealed to the BBC, in an interview for the 'Heart and Soul' documentary,[12] that he wanted to be a priest or a missionary when he retired from football. In the interview, he also spoke about the surprised reaction of some German players as he prayed before games, while also addressing the support he received from fellow Ghanaian Christians, especially those living in Munich.

In the same interview, Kuffour also talked about the death of his daughter Godiva, in a drowning accident in January that year. He explained that his Christian faith gave him the courage to face the future.

On 2 October 2014 he was announced CEO for Ghana-based football club Kumasi Assnte Kotoko after being appointed by the club owner Otumfuor Osei Tutu II. By 15 October it had become apparent that the early announcement had caused a renege on that decision by the Otumfuor.[13]

On 8 February 2015, Kuffour was shaved as he vowed on live TV within the Supersports studios following the Black Stars failure to win the AFCON 2015 as he predicted.[14][15]

Career statistics
ClubSeasonLeagueCup1Continental2Other3TotalRef.
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Bayern Munich1994–95Bundesliga900041—131[16]
1996–972202010250[16]
1997–981723050252[17]
1998–991503080260[18]
1999–200018231130343[19]
2000–012311013010381[16][20]
2001–022103014020400[16][21]
2002–03201405010301[16][22]
2003–04231207010331[16][23]
2004–0570204000130[16]
Totals1757231741502779—
Bayern Munich II1994–95Regionalliga Süd????30—30[16]
1995–96????1010[16]
2004–0510—10[16]
Totals1040——
Nürnberg (loan)1995–962. Bundesliga12100——121[16]
Roma2005–06Serie A2103071311[16]
Livorno (loan)2006–071800080260[16]
Ajax (loan)2007–08Eredivisie20000020[16]
Asante Kotoko2009Ghana Premier LeagueN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
Career totals22983018925035311—
  • 1.^ Includes German Cup and Italian Cup.
  • 2.^ Includes Champions League and UEFA Cup.
  • 3.^ Includes German League Cup and Intercontinental Cup.

International
Ghana[24]
YearAppsGoals
199450
199530
199690
199751
199850
199920
200082
200120
200210
200320
200450
200510
200660
Total543

International goals

Scores and results list Ghana's goal tally first. Score column indicates score after each Kuffour goal.[25]

#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
113 July 1997Accra Sports Stadium, Accra, Ghana Zimbabwe2–12–11998 African Cup of Nations qualification
28 April 2000Sheikh Amri Abeid Memorial Stadium, Arusha, Tanzania Tanzania1–01–02002 FIFA World Cup qualification
323 April 2000Ohene Djan Stadium, Accra, Ghana Tanzania1–03–2

Honours

Club
Bayern Munich

International
Ghana Youth

Individual
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References
  1. "Kuffour gives Bayern World Club victory". BBC Sport. 27 November 2001. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  2. "Kuffour cries foul". BBC Sport. 18 April 2002. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  3. "UEFA: Competition Facts". UEFA.com.
  4. "Which African stars have played the most UEFA games?". UEFA. 18 June 2018. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  5. Arnhold, Matthias (10 January 2020). "Samuel Osei Kuffour - Matches and Goals in Bundesliga". RSSSF.com. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
  6. "Roma capture Kuffour". UEFA.com. 8 June 2005. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  7. Haisma, Marcel (10 January 2020). "Samuel Osei Kuffour - Matches in European Cups". RSSSF.com. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
  8. Buckingham, Mark. "Black Cats snub Kuffour". Sporting Life. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  9. "Former Bayern star Kuffour retires from football". ESPN Soccernet. 10 September 2008. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  10. "Kuffour set to move to America?". Ghana Soccernet. 26 January 2009. Archived from the original on 1 February 2009.
  11. "Sammy Kuffour finally joins Asante Kotoko". Ghana Web. 16 April 2009. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  12. "Ghanaian footballer Sammy Kuffour tells BBC he wants to be a priest". BBC. 10 April 2003. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  13. "Ex-Bayern Munich star Sammy Kuffour MISSES out on Kotoko job as Otumfuo tells Opoku Nti-led team to continue working". Ghana Soccernet. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
  14. "Kuffour's hair shaved on live TV". allsports.com.gh. All Sports. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  15. Dovia, Selorm Yaw (8 February 2015). "Sammy Kuffour given clean shave on live tv". graphic.com.gh. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  16. "Samuel Kuffour » Club matches". World Football. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  17. "Samuel Kuffour". kicker.de (in German). kicker. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  18. "Samuel Kuffour". kicker.de (in German). kicker. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  19. "Samuel Kuffour". kicker.de (in German). kicker. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  20. "Samuel Kuffour". kicker.de (in German). kicker. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  21. "Samuel Kuffour". kicker.de (in German). kicker. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  22. "Samuel Kuffour". kicker.de (in German). kicker. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  23. "Samuel Kuffour". kicker.de (in German). kicker. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  24. "Samuel Kuffour". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmerman. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  25. "Samuel Osei Kuffour". 11v11. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  26. "Top 30 Best African Players of All-Time". CAF Online. Archived from the original on 21 January 2007.
  27. "Toyota Cup - Most Valuable Player of the Match Award". Archived from the original on 11 February 2009. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  28. "Kuffour receives BBC award". BBC. 15 April 2002. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
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