Latif Blessing
{{short description|Ghanaian footballer|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Latif Blessing
| image =
| full_name = Latif Atta Blessing
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1996|12|30|df=y}}
| birth_place = Accra, Ghana
| height = {{height|ft=5|in=7}}{{cite web |title=Latif Blessing |url=https://www.lafc.com/players/latif-blessing/ |access-date=20 August 2022 |publisher=Los Angeles FC}}
| currentclub = Houston Dynamo
| clubnumber = 15
| position = Midfielder, forward
| youthyears1 = 2013–2014
| youthclubs1 = Liberty Professionals
| years1 = 2014–2016
| clubs1 = Liberty Professionals
| caps1 = 21
| goals1 = 17
| years2 = 2017
| clubs2 = Sporting Kansas City
| caps2 = 25
| goals2 = 3
| years3 = 2017
| clubs3 = → Swope Park Rangers (loan)
| caps3 = 1
| goals3 = 1
| years4 = 2018–2022
| clubs4 = Los Angeles FC
| caps4 = 145
| goals4 = 14
| years5 = 2023
| clubs5 = New England Revolution
| caps5 = 15
| goals5 = 0
| years6 = 2023–2024
| clubs6 = Toronto FC
| caps6 = 5
| goals6 = 0
| years7 = 2023
| clubs7 = → Toronto FC II (loan)
| caps7 = 1
| goals7 = 0
| years8 = 2024–
| clubs8 = Houston Dynamo
| caps8 = 27
| goals8 = 5
| club-update = 22 October 2024
}}
Latif Atta Blessing (born 30 December 1996) is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder or forward for Major League Soccer club Houston Dynamo FC.
Early life
Blessing was born in Nankese, a small village in the Suhum-Kraboa-Coaltar District of southeast Ghana.
Club career
=Ghana=
In 2013, Latif Blessing joined the Liberty Professionals youth team in Accra.{{cite news|title=A Shamo Quaye of our time|url=http://pulse.com.gh/sports/features/latif-blessing-a-shamo-quaye-of-our-time-id4944583.html|accessdate=10 January 2017|website=pulse.com|publisher=Pulse|date=21 April 2016}} He was soon promoted to the senior club for the Ghana Premier League but mainly appeared on the bench for the side. Blessing received particularly good reviews for his performance during a Premier League match against Asante Kotoko on 21 June 2015. In that match, he scored in the 21st minute to equalize before providing two assists, leading Liberty Professionals to a 3–1 victory.{{cite news|title=Liberty fight back to defeat Kotoko in Dansoman|url=https://www.modernghana.com/sports/625023/2/liberty-fight-back-to-defeat-kotoko-in-dansoman.html|accessdate=10 January 2017|website=modernghana.com|publisher=Modern Ghana|date=21 June 2015}}
During the 2016 season, Blessing scored six goals in his first eight games. After his hat-trick on the final day of the season against Bechem United, Blessing would go on to finish the season as the top scorer in the league with 17 goals.{{cite news|title=Latif Blessing wins Ghana Premier League goal king|url=http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/league/Latif-Blessing-wins-Ghana-Premier-League-goal-king-470684|accessdate=10 January 2017|website=ghanaweb.com|publisher=Ghana Web|date=19 September 2016}} His performance during the season was recognized in December 2016 when Blessing won the best player of the league award by the Ghana Football Association.{{cite news|last1=Abayateye|first1=Michael|title=Latif Blessing wins Best Player of the Year at GFA/PLB Awards|url=http://www.primenewsghana.com/sports/latif-blessing-wins-best-player-of-the-year-at-gfa-plb-awards.html|accessdate=10 January 2017|website=primenewsghana.com|publisher=Prime News Ghana|date=18 December 2016}}
=Major League Soccer=
In January 2017, Blessing signed with Sporting Kansas City of Major League Soccer.{{cite news|last1=Kovzan|first1=Sam|title=Sporting KC acquires 20-year-old winger Latif Blessing in transfer from Ghana|url=http://www.sportingkc.com/post/2017/01/09/sporting-kc-acquires-20-year-old-winger-latif-blessing-transfer-ghana|accessdate=10 January 2017|website=Sporting Kansas City|date=9 January 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://www.mlssocceritalia.com/sporting-kc-preso-rwatubyaye-lavoro-di-scout-allitaliana/|title=Sporting KC: preso Rwatubyaye, lavoro di scout all'italiana|trans-title=Sporting KC: Rwatubyaye, Italian Scout Job|website=mlssocceritalia.com|language=it|publisher=MLS Soccer Italia|date=7 February 2019|accessdate=25 April 2020}} He made his MLS debut on 11 March 2017 against FC Dallas.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportingkc.com/post/2017/03/11/recap-sporting-kc-held-0-0-draw-fc-dallas-2017-home-opener|title=Recap: Sporting KC held to 0–0 draw with FC Dallas in 2017 home opener | Sporting Kansas City}} On 24 March 2017, Blessing was loaned to Swope Park Rangers, scoring in their match against OKC Energy FC.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportingkc.com/post/2017/03/24/swope-park-rangers-adds-five-players-loan-sporting-kansas-city|title=Swope Park Rangers adds five players on loan from Sporting Kansas City | Sporting Kansas City}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportingkc.com/post/2017/03/25/recap-rangers-open-2017-season-3-1-comeback-win|title=Recap: Rangers open 2017 season with 3–1 comeback win | Sporting Kansas City}} Blessing's first MLS goals came in a brace on 13 May 2017 in a 2–2 draw in Orlando versus Orlando City SC.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportingkc.com/post/2017/05/13/recap-latif-blessings-brace-steers-sporting-kc-2-2-draw-orlando-city-sc|title=Recap: Latif Blessing's brace steers Sporting KC to 2–2 draw at Orlando City SC | Sporting Kansas City}} On 20 September 2017, Blessing scored in the 2017 U.S. Open Cup Final, as Sporting Kansas City won the 2017 U.S. Open Cup.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportingkc.com/post/2017/09/20/recap-sporting-kc-crowned-open-cup-champions-2-1-win-over-new-york-red-bulls|title=Recap: Sporting KC crowned Open Cup champions with 2–1 win over New York Red Bulls | Sporting Kansas City}}
In December 2017, Blessing was selected by Los Angeles FC with the second selection of the 2017 MLS Expansion Draft. He made his debut for the club as a starter in their first MLS match, a 1–0 victory at Seattle Sounders FC.
On January 3, 2023, Blessing was acquired by the New England Revolution for $400,000 in GAM for Los Angeles FC.{{cite web|date=January 3, 2023|title=LAFC Acquires $400,000 In General Allocation Money From New England In Exchange For Latif Blessing|url=https://www.lafc.com/news/lafc-acquires-400-000-in-general-allocation-money-from-new-england-in-exchange-f|access-date=January 3, 2023|publisher=Los Angeles FC}}
In July 2023, he was traded to Toronto FC for Mark-Anthony Kaye.{{cite web|url=https://www.torontofc.ca/news/toronto-fc-acquire-latif-blessing-and-an-international-slot-in-exchange-for-mark|title=Toronto FC acquire Latif Blessing and an international slot in exchange for Mark-Anthony Kaye|date=July 13, 2023|work=Toronto FC}}
In March 2024, he was traded to Houston Dynamo FC for $75,000 in 2025 GAM and up to $200,000 in conditional 2025 GAM.{{Cite web|url=https://www.torontofc.ca/news/toronto-fc-trade-latif-blessing-to-houston-dynamo-fc-for-gam|title=Toronto FC trade Latif Blessing to Houston Dynamo FC for GAM|date=March 14, 2024|work=Toronto FC}}
International career
Blessing was included in the provisional squad for Ghana before the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, but failed to make the final cut.{{cite news|title=Ghana Premier League best player Latif Blessing dropped from Africa Cup of Nations squad|url=http://ghanasoccernet.com/ghana-premier-league-best-player-latif-blessing-dropped-from-africa-cup-of-nations-squad|accessdate=10 January 2017|work=Ghana Soccer Net|date=2 January 2017}}
Personal life
In 2017, Blessing obtained a U.S. green card allowing him to qualify as a domestic player for MLS roster purposes.{{cite news|title=Forward Latif Blessing obtains green card, no longer occupies international spot on Sporting KC roster|url=https://www.sportingkc.com/post/2017/11/28/forward-latif-blessing-obtains-green-card-no-longer-occupies-international-spot|publisher=SportingKC.com|date=28 November 2017|accessdate=1 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180801034552/https://www.sportingkc.com/post/2017/11/28/forward-latif-blessing-obtains-green-card-no-longer-occupies-international-spot|archive-date=1 August 2018|url-status=dead}} However, in 2023, as part of the process to bring his family over via a visa, he had to give up his green card and reapply under a visa status, returning him to counting as an international player.{{cite web|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/06/13/sports/latif-blessing-new-england-revolution/|title=He came from Ghana to play soccer, but left his family behind. With help from the Revolution, they were finally reunited.|first=Randy|last=Vazquez|date=June 13, 2023|work=Boston Globe}}{{cite tweet|number=1678417090116567042|date=July 10, 2023|first=Caleb|last=Pongratz|user=CalebPongratz10|title=Revolution midfielder Latif Blessing no longer occupies a green card and occupies an international roster slot}}
Blessing's brother, Ibrahim Fuseini, currently plays for Lori FC in the Armenian Premier League.{{cite web |title=Ghanaian youngster Ibrahim Fuseini joins Armenian side Lori FC |url=http://www.kickgh.com/more/ghanaians-abroad/4465-ghanaian-youngster-ibrahim-fuseini-joins-armenian-side-lori-fc |website=kickgh.com |publisher=Kick GH |accessdate=4 September 2018 |date=28 January 2018}} He has a twin sister, Latifa.{{Cite web|url=https://www.lafc.com/players/13/latif-blessing|title=Latif Blessing | Los Angeles Football Club}}
Career statistics
{{updated|match played 21 October 2023}}{{Soccerway|latif-blessing/436373}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | ||||||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|National cup !colspan="2"|Playoffs !colspan="2"|Continental !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Liberty Professionals
|2016 |21 | 17 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 21 | 17 | |||||
| Sporting Kansas City
|2017 |25 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 31 | 6 | |||
| Swope Park Rangers (loan)
|2017 |USL |1 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 1 | 1 | |||||
| rowspan="6"|Los Angeles FC
|2018 |rowspan="5"|Major League Soccer |30 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 35 | 7 | |||
| 2019
|34 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 39 | 6 | |||
| 2020
|21 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 29 | 3 | ||
| 2021
|30 | 2 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 30 | 2 | |||||
| 2022
|30 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 33 | 0 | |||
| colspan="2"|Total
!145 | 14 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 166 | 18 | |
| New England Revolution
|2023 |Major League Soccer |15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 16 | 0 | ||||
| Toronto FC
|2023 |Major League Soccer |5 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 | ||||
| Toronto FC II (loan)
|2023 |1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 1 | 0 | |||||
| colspan="3"|Career total
!212 | 35 | 16 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 242 | 42 |
{{notelist}}
Honours
Sporting Kansas City
Los Angeles FC
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{MLS player|latif-blessing}}
- {{Soccerway}}
{{Houston Dynamo FC squad}}
{{Ghana Premier League top scorers}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Blessing, Latif}}
Category:Footballers from Accra
Category:Ghanaian men's footballers
Category:Liberty Professionals F.C. players
Category:Sporting Kansas City players
Category:Sporting Kansas City II players
Category:Men's association football forwards
Category:Ghanaian expatriate men's footballers
Category:Ghanaian expatriate sportspeople in the United States
Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States
Category:Ghana Premier League players
Category:Major League Soccer players
Category:USL Championship players
Category:Los Angeles FC players
Category:New England Revolution players
Category:Ghana Premier League top scorers
Category:Toronto FC II players