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Ghana Player of the Year

{{Short description|Annual award in Ghana}}

{{Infobox sports award|name=Ghana Player of the Year|location=Accra International Conference Centre|mostrecent=Daniel Afriyie (2022, home based)
Mohammed Kudus (2022, foreign)|mostwins=Samuel Kuffour (3)|firstwinner=Mohammed Ahmed Polo (1975)|last=|number=29|first=1975|presenter=Sport Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG)|country=Republic of Ghana|sponsor=|sport=Association football|nickname=|localnames=|english=|givenfor=|discipline=|caption=2020 winner Jordan Ayew|image_size=200|image=File:20150331 Mali vs Ghana 023.jpg|competition=|url=}} The Ghana Player of the Year (or Ghanaian Footballer of the Year) is an annual award from Football Association of Ghana, govern in recognition of excellence to the best Ghanaian professional association footballer of the year.

The title has been awarded yearly in Ghana since 1975. The award is determined annually by the members of the Sport Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG), with additional votes from the Ghana Premier League team captains and coaches, in collaboration with Goal.com's corporate subdivision of Perform Group, and is published by the Ghana Football Association (GFA). All Ghanaian professional association footballers all eligible. The award has been presented on 28 occasions as of 2020.

The most successful player of the award is Samuel Kuffour, who was chosen as Ghana Player of the Year three times. Asamoah Gyan, André Ayew, Stephen Appiah, Kwadwo Asamoah and Thomas Partey have each won the award twice, the latter three all in consecutive years.

Winners

{{multiple image

| align = right

| direction = vertical

| header =

| width = 170

| image1 = Abédi Pélé (cropped).jpg

| alt1 =

| caption1 = Abedi Pele was the winner of the award in 1993, and was also named African Footballer of the Year three times

| image2 = Samuel-Kuffour.jpg

| alt2 =

| caption2 = Samuel Kuffour has won the most awards, with three titles in 1998, 1999 and 2001

| image3 =

| alt3 =

| caption3 = Stephen Appiah was the receiver of two consecutive awards, in 2004 and 2005

| image4 = John Mensah.jpg

| alt4 =

| caption4 = John Mensah was the recipient of the award in 2006

| image5 = MEssienChelsea06.png

| alt5 =

| caption5 = Michael Essien won the award in 2007

| image6 = John Paintsil.JPG

| alt6 =

| caption6 = John Paintsil was the recipient of the award in 2008

| image7 = André Ayew 5438.jpg

| alt7 =

| caption7 = André Ayew, winner of the award in 2011

| total_width =

| image8 = Asamoah Gyan (2014).jpg

| caption8 = Asamoah Gyan won the award twice 2010 and 2013

}}

File:Thomas_Partey.jpg of Atlético Madrid was the first winner that was playing in La Liga, earning two straight awards in 2018 and 2019]]

class="wikitable sortable"
style="background:#CEDAF2"

! width="50" | Year

! width="175" class="unsortable"| Winner

! width="240" class="unsortable"| Club

! width="70" class="unsortable"| Position

align="center" | 1975{{SortKeyName|Mohammed|Ahmed Polo}}

| {{flagicon|GHA}} Hearts of Oak

Forward
align="center" | 1978{{SortKeyName|Karim Abdul|Razak}}

| {{flagicon|GHA}} Asante Kotoko

Midfielder
align="center" | 1979John Nketia Yawson

| {{flagicon|GHA}} Hearts of Oak

Midfielder
align="center" | 1980Francis Kumi

| {{flagicon|GHA}} Asante Kotoko

Forward
align="center" | 1984Joe Odoi

| {{flagicon|GHA}} Hearts of Oak

Defender
align="center" | 1993{{SortKeyName|Abedi|Pele}}

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Marseille

Forward
align="center" | 1997{{SortKeyName|Tony|Yeboah}}

| {{flagicon|GER}} Hamburger SV

Forward
align="center" | 1998{{SortKeyName|Samuel|Kuffour}}

| {{flagicon|GER}} Bayern Munich

Defender
align="center" | 1999{{SortKeyName|Samuel|Kuffour}}

| {{flagicon|GER}} Bayern Munich

Defender
align="center" | 2000{{SortKeyName|Emmanuel Osei|Kuffour}}

| {{flagicon|GHA}} Hearts of Oak

Midfielder
align="center" | 2001{{SortKeyName|Samuel|Kuffour}}

| {{flagicon|GER}} Bayern Munich

Defender
align="center" | 2002{{SortKeyName|Charles|Asampong}}

| {{flagicon|GHA}} Hearts of Oak

Forward
align="center" | 2003{{SortKeyName|Aziz|Ansah}}

| {{flagicon|GHA}} Asante Kotoko

Defender
align="center" | 2004{{SortKeyName|Stephen|Appiah}}

| {{flagicon|ITA}} Juventus

Midfielder
align="center" | 2005{{SortKeyName|Stephen|Appiah}}

| {{flagicon|ITA}} Juventus

Midfielder
align="center" | 2006{{SortKeyName|John|Mensah}}

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Rennes

Defender
align="center" | 2007 {{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Essien named Footballer of the Year |url=https://www.ghanafa.org/essien-named-footballer-of-the-year |access-date=29 January 2023 |website=Ghana Football Association}}{{SortKeyName|Michael|Essien}}

| {{flagicon|ENG}} Chelsea

Midfielder
align="center" | 2008{{SortKeyName|John|Paintsil}}

| {{flagicon|ENG}} Fulham

Defender
align="center" | 2009{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=13 September 2010 |title=Adiyiah wins SWAG gongs |url=https://www.ghanafa.org/adiyiah-wins-swag-gongs |access-date=19 January 2023 |website= |publisher=Ghana Football Association |language=}}{{SortKeyName|Dominic|Adiyiah}}

| {{flagicon|ITA}} Milan

Forward
align="center" | 2010{{Cite web|title=Asamoah Gyan Wins SWAG Top Award|url=https://www.modernghana.com/sports/337932/asamoah-gyan-wins-swag-top-award.html|date=4 July 2011|access-date=3 October 2020|website=Modern Ghana}}{{SortKeyName|Asamoah|Gyan}}

| {{flagicon|ENG}} Sunderland

Forward
align="center" | 2011{{Cite web|date=10 June 2012|title=Andre Ayew wins SWAG Footballer of the Year Award, missed out on ultimate|url=https://ghanasoccernet.com/andre-ayew-wins-swag-footballer-of-the-year-award-misses-out-on-ultimate|access-date=3 October 2020|website=GhanaSoccernet}}{{SortKeyName|André|Ayew}}

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Marseille

Forward
align="center" | 2012{{Cite web |last=Dogbevi |first=Emmanuel |date=1 July 2013 |title=Kwadwo Asamoah picks SWAG top awards |url=https://www.ghanabusinessnews.com/2013/07/01/kwadwo-asamoah-picks-swag-top-awards/ |access-date=3 October 2020 |website=Ghana Business News}}{{SortKeyName|Kwadwo|Asamoah}}

| {{flagicon|ITA}} Juventus

Midfielder
align="center" | 2013{{Cite web|url=https://www.graphic.com.gh/sports/sports-news/kwasi-appiah-wins-top-swag-award.html |title=Kwasi Appiah wins top SWAG award |website=graphic.com.gh|date=19 May 2014|access-date=26 June 2019}}

|{{SortKeyName|Asamoah|Gyan}}

|{{flagicon|UAE}} Al Ain

|Forward

align="center" |2014{{Cite web |last=Laryea |first=Beatrice |date=5 October 2015 |title=Afful crowned SWAG 2014 Footballer of the Year |url=https://www.graphic.com.gh/sports/sports-news/afful-crowned-swag-2014-footballer-of-the-year.html |access-date=19 January 2023 |website=Graphic Online |language=}}

|Harrison Afful

|{{flagicon|TUN}} Espérance de Tunis

|Defender

align="center" |2015{{Cite web |last=Owusu |first=Stephen |date=5 June 2016 |title=Andre Ayew wins Sports Personality of The Year at MTN SWAG awards |url=https://yen.com.gh/55092-andre-ayew-wins-sports-personality-year-mtn-swag-awards.html |access-date=26 June 2019 |website=YEN Ghana}}

|André Ayew

|{{flagicon|WAL}} Swansea City

|Forward

align="center" |2016{{Cite web|last=Gyamera-Antwi|first=Evans|date=28 May 2017|title=Asante named 2016 SWAG Player of the Year|url=https://www.goal.com/en-ug/news/asante-named-2016-swag-player-of-the-year/4eqrbu6s0xxr1cvxr10guxrbn|access-date=13 December 2021|website=Goal}}

|Solomon Asante

|{{flagicon|DRC}} TP Mazembe

|Forward

align="center" |2017{{Cite web |date=2018-05-04 |title=Thomas Partey insist he deserves SWAG player of the year award |url=https://ghanasportsonline.com/2018/05/thomas-partey-insist-deserves-swag-player-year-award/ |access-date=2023-01-19 |website=Ghana Sports Online |language= |archive-date=2023-01-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230119003100/https://ghanasportsonline.com/2018/05/thomas-partey-insist-deserves-swag-player-year-award/ |url-status=dead }}

|Thomas Partey

|{{flagicon|ESP}} Atlético Madrid

|Midfielder

align="center" |2018{{Cite web |last=Okine |first=Sammy Heywood |date=13 May 2019 |title=Full List Of 2018 SWAG Award Winners |url=http://ghanaolympic.org/index.php?item=4205 |access-date=13 July 2021 |website=Ghana Olympic |publisher=Ghana Olympic Committee}}

|Thomas Partey

|{{flagicon|ESP}} Atlético Madrid

|Midfielder

2020{{efn|Due to COVID-19 pandemic the award covered the both 2019 and 2020|name=UCL}}{{Cite web|title=Jordan Ayew on SWAG best player award, life at Crystal Palace, C.K Akonnor and Ghana vs Qatar: Transcript|url=https://www.ghanafa.org/jordan-ayew-on-being-crowned-swag-best-player-for-2019-life-at-crystal-palace-c-k-akonnor-and-ghana-vs-qatar-transcript|access-date=13 November 2020|publisher=Ghana Football Association|website=www.ghanafa.org}}

|Jordan Ayew

|{{flagicon|ENG}} Crystal Palace

|Forward

Footballer of the Year (Home Based)

class="wikitable sortable"
style="background:#CEDAF2"

! width="50" | Year

! class="unsortable" width="175" | Winner

! class="unsortable" width="240" | Club

! class="unsortable" width="70" | Position

align="center" | 2021{{Cite web |date=17 December 2021 |title=SWAG Awards: Hearts of Oak striker Daniel Afriyie Barnieh wins Home-based Footballer of the Year |url=https://ghanasoccernet.com/swag-awards-hearts-of-oak-striker-daniel-afriyie-barnieh-wins-home-based-footballer-of-the-year |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211218144237/https://ghanasoccernet.com/swag-awards-hearts-of-oak-striker-daniel-afriyie-barnieh-wins-home-based-footballer-of-the-year |archive-date=18 December 2021 |access-date=27 December 2021 |website=GhanaSoccernet}}{{SortKeyName|Daniel |Afriyie}}

| {{flagicon|GHA}} Hearts of Oak

Forward
align="center" |2022{{Cite web |last=Akyereko |first=Akwasi |date=28 January 2023 |title=Hearts star-boy Afriyie Barnieh dumps Galaxies teammate Danlad Ibrahim and GPL goal-king Annor to win 2022 SWAG Home-based Footballer of the Year |url=https://ghanasportsonline.com/2023/01/hearts-star-boy-afriyie-barnieh-dumps-galaxies-teammate-danlad-ibrahim-and-gpl-goal-king-annor-to-win-2022-swag-home-based-footballer-of-the-year/ |access-date=29 January 2023 |website=Ghana Sports Online |archive-date=21 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230321184155/https://ghanasportsonline.com/2023/01/hearts-star-boy-afriyie-barnieh-dumps-galaxies-teammate-danlad-ibrahim-and-gpl-goal-king-annor-to-win-2022-swag-home-based-footballer-of-the-year/ |url-status=dead }}

|{{SortKeyName|Daniel |Afriyie}}

|{{flagicon|GHA}} Hearts of Oak

|Forward

Footballer of the Year (Foreign)

class="wikitable sortable"
style="background:#CEDAF2"

! width="50" | Year

! class="unsortable" width="175" | Winner

! class="unsortable" width="240" | Club

! class="unsortable" width="70" | Position

align="center" | 2021{{Cite web |date=17 December 2021 |title=SWAG Awards: Ajax star Mohammed Kudus adjudged Foreign Footballer of the Year |url=https://ghanasoccernet.com/swag-awards-ajax-star-mohammed-kudus-adjudged-foreign-footballer-of-the-year |access-date=15 August 2022 |website=GhanaSoccernet |language=}}{{SortKeyName|Mohammed|Kudus}}

| {{flagicon|NED}} Ajax

Midfielder
align="center" |2022{{Cite web |last=Lawrence |first=Kweku |date=29 January 2023 |title=Mohammed Kudus wins big at 47th SWAG Awards gala |url=https://www.myjoyonline.com/mohammed-kudus-wins-big-at-47th-swag-awards-gala/ |access-date=30 January 2023 |website=My Joy Online}}

|{{SortKeyName|Mohammed|Kudus}}

|{{flagicon|NED}} Ajax

|Midfielder

Breakdown of winners

=Number of wins by player=

class="wikitable sortable"

!Rank

!Name

!Number of wins

!Winning years

align=center|1

|{{SortKeyName|Samuel|Kuffour}}

|3

|1998, 1999, 2001

rowspan="4" align="center" |2

|{{SortKeyName|Stephen|Appiah}}

|2

|2004, 2005

{{SortKeyName|Asamoah|Gyan}}

|2

|2010, 2013

{{SortKeyName|André|Ayew}}

|2

|2011, 2015

{{SortKeyName|Thomas|Partey}}

|2

|2017, 2018

rowspan="18" |6

|{{SortKeyName|Kwadwo|Asamoah}}

|1

|2012

{{SortKeyName|Mohammed|Ahmed Polo}}

|1

|1975

Karim Abdul Razak

|1

|1978

John Nketia Yawson

|1

|1979

Francis Kumi

|1

|1980

Joe Odoi

|1

|1984

{{SortKeyName|Abedi|Pele}}

|1

|1993

{{SortKeyName|Tony|Yeboah}}

|1

|1997

{{sortKeyName|Emmanuel Osei|Kuffour}}

|1

|2000

{{SortKeyName|Charles|Asampong}}

|1

|2002

{{SortKeyName|Aziz|Ansah}}

|1

|2003

{{SortKeyName|John|Mensah}}

|1

|2006

{{SortKeyName|Michael|Essien}}

|1

|2007

{{SortKeyName|John|Paintsil}}

|1

|2008

{{SortKeyName|Dominic|Adiyiah}}

|1

|2009

{{SortKeyName|Harrison|Afful}}

|1

|2014

{{SortKeyName|Solomon|Asante}}

|1

|2016

{{SortKeyName|Jordan|Ayew}}

|1

|2020

=Number of wins by league=

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
style="background-color:#CEDAF2;"

! Rank

! style="width:200px;" class="unsortable"| League

! Number of wins

! class="unsortable" | Winning years

1style="text-align:left;" | {{flagicon|GHA}} Ghana Premier League8style="text-align:left;" | 1975, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1984, 2000,
2002, 2003
2style="text-align:left;" | {{flagicon|ENG}} Premier League5style="text-align:left;" | 2007, 2008, 2010, 2015, 2020
rowspan="2" |3

| style="text-align:left;" | {{flagicon|ITA}} Serie A

4style="text-align:left;" | 2004, 2005, 2009, 2012
style="text-align:left;" | {{flagicon|GER}} Bundesliga4style="text-align:left;" | 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001
5style="text-align:left;" | {{flagicon|FRA}} Ligue 13style="text-align:left;" | 1993, 2006, 2011
6style="text-align:left;" | {{flagicon|ESP}} La Liga2style="text-align:left;" | 2017, 2018
rowspan="3" | 7style="text-align:left;" |{{flagicon|DRC}} Linafoot1style="text-align:left;" | 2016
style="text-align:left;" | {{flagicon|UAE}} UAE Pro League1style="text-align:left;" | 2013
style="text-align:left;" | {{flagicon|TUN}} Ligue Professionnelle 11style="text-align:left;" |2014

=Number of wins by club=

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
style="background-color:#CEDAF2;"

! Rank

! style="width:200px;" class="unsortable"| Club

! Number of wins

! class="unsortable" | Winning years

1style="text-align:left;" | {{flagicon|GHA}} Hearts of Oak5style="text-align:left;" | 1975, 1979, 1984, 2000, 2002
2style="text-align:left;" | {{flagicon|ITA}} Juventus4style="text-align:left;" | 2004, 2005, 2012, 2013
rowspan=2|3style="text-align:left;" | {{flagicon|GHA}} Asante Kotoko3style="text-align:left;" | 1978, 1980, 2003
style="text-align:left;" | {{flagicon|GER}} Bayern Munich3style="text-align:left;" | 1998, 1999, 2001
rowspan=2|5style="text-align:left;" | {{flagicon|FRA}} Marseille2style="text-align:left;" | 1993, 2011
style="text-align:left;" | {{flagicon|ESP}} Atlético Madrid2style="text-align:left;" | 2018, 2019
rowspan=11| 7style="text-align:left;" | {{flagicon|GER}} Hamburger SV1style="text-align:left;" | 1997
style="text-align:left;" | {{flagicon|FRA}} Rennes1style="text-align:left;" | 2006
style="text-align:left;" | {{flagicon|ENG}} Chelsea1style="text-align:left;" | 2007
style="text-align:left;" | {{flagicon|ENG}} Fulham1style="text-align:left;" | 2008
style="text-align:left;" | {{flagicon|ITA}} Milan1style="text-align:left;" | 2009
style="text-align:left;" | {{flagicon|ENG}} Sunderland1style="text-align:left;" | 2010
style="text-align:left;" | {{flagicon|UAE}} Al Ain1style="text-align:left;" | 2014
style="text-align:left;" | {{flagicon|TUN}} Espérance de Tunis1style="text-align:left;" | 2015
style="text-align:left;" | {{flagicon|WAL}} Swansea City1style="text-align:left;" | 2016
style="text-align:left;" | {{flagicon|DRC}} TP Mazembe1style="text-align:left;" | 2017
style="text-align:left;" | {{flagicon|ENG}} Crystal Palace1style="text-align:left;" | 2020

=Number of wins by position=

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
style="background-color:#CEDAF2;"

! class="unsortable"|Rank

! style="width:200px;" class="unsortable"| Position

! class="unsortable"|Number of wins

1style="text-align:left;" | Forward12
2

| style="text-align:left;" | Midfielder

10
3style="text-align:left;" | Defender6
4style="text-align:left;" | Goalkeeper0

References

{{Reflist}}

= Notes =

External links

  • [http://www.worldfootball.net/fussballer_des_jahres/ghana/ all Players of the Year at Worldfootball.net]

{{Ghanaian Footballer of the Year}}

{{Player of the Year}}

{{National Footballer of the Year}}

Category:Association football player of the year awards by nationality

Category:Footballers in Ghana

Category:1975 establishments in Ghana

Category:Awards established in 1975

Category:Ghanaian awards

Category:Annual events in Ghana

Category:Association football player non-biographical articles