Mohammed Polo
{{Short description|Ghanaian footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Mohammed Polo
| image =
| fullname = Alhaji Mohammed Ahmed
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1956|11|11}}
| birth_place = Accra, Ghana
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height =
| position = Forward
| youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 =
| years1 = 1972–1973 | clubs1 = Auroras FC | caps1 = | goals1 =
| years2 = 1973–1979 | clubs2 = Hearts of Oak | caps2 = 232 | goals2 = 145
| years3 = 1979–1984 | clubs3 = Al-Wasl | caps3 = | goals3 =
| years4 = 1985–1987 | clubs4 = Hearts of Oak | caps4 = | goals4 =
| years5 = 1987–1988 | clubs5 = FC 105 Libreville | caps5 = | goals5 =
| years6 = 1988–1989 | clubs6 = Shell FC | caps6 = | goals6 =
| years7 = 1989–1992 | clubs7 = Hearts of Oak | caps7 = | goals7 =
| years8 = 1992–1994 | clubs8 = Great Olympics | caps8 = | goals8 =
| nationalyears1= 1973–1985 | nationalteam1= Ghana | nationalcaps1 = 54 | nationalgoals1 = 20
| manageryears1 = 1994–1995 | managerclubs1 = Hearts of Oak
| manageryears2 = 2003 | managerclubs2 = Stade Malien
| manageryears3 = 2004 | managerclubs3 = Great Olympics
| manageryears4 = 2013–2014 | managerclubs4 = Hearts of Oak
}}
Alhaji Mohammed Ahmed (born 11 November 1956), popularly known as Mohammed Polo and the "Dribbling Magician",{{Cite web |last=Association |first=Ghana Football |title=Preview: "Dribbling Magician" arrives as League re |url=https://www.ghanafa.org/preview-dribbling-magician-arrives-as-league-re |access-date=2023-07-07 |website=www.ghanafa.org |language=en}} is a former Ghanaian international and local club football player. He is considered one of the best dribblers and Ghanaian player of his generation.
He spent years of his soccer career playing as a left winger for Hearts of Oak in the Ghana Premier League in the 1970s and 1980s, and was also a key player in the Ghana squad that won the 1978 African Cup of Nations held in Ghana.{{Cite web |date=17 July 2022 |title=Ghana FA boss Kurt Okraku eulogizes legend Mohammed Polo at book launch |url=https://ghanasoccernet.com/ghana-fa-boss-kurt-okraku-eulogizes-legend-mohammed-polo-at-book-launch |access-date=7 July 2023 |website=ghanasoccernet.com}}
Playing career
=Club career=
== Early beginnings in the 70s ==
Polo played football with teams in Accra such as Auroras, Accra Great Olympics and for Hearts of Oak, where along with Mama Acquah, Anas Seidu, Peter Lamptey and Robert Hammond were known as the “Fearsome Five”.{{cite web|url=http://www.trivela.com/default.asp?pag=ExibirMateria&codMateria=2074&coluna=23 |title=Hearts of Oak: O outono da árvore de Accra |access-date=2007-04-08 |language=Portuguese |date=7 December 2006 |last=Martins |first=Rafael |publisher=Trivela.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070102111643/http://www.trivela.com/default.asp?pag=ExibirMateria&codMateria=2074&coluna=23 |archive-date=January 2, 2007 }}
== Late 70s and 80s at Al Wasl ==
From 1979 to 1984, Mohammad Polo played for the famous Dubai club, Al Wasl, where he was popular with the fans.{{Cite web |last=Mumuni |first=Lukman |date=2023-08-10 |title="Arabs Worshipped Me": Mohammed Polo Claims He is More Popular Than Ronaldo in Arab Football |url=https://sportsbrief.com/football/46377-arabs-carried-ghana-legend-mohammed-polo-insists-popular-saudi-ronaldo/ |access-date=2023-08-27 |website=SportsBrief - Sport news. |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2023-08-09 |title=I made Saudi league popular before Ronaldo arrived – Mohammed Polo |url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/SportsArchive/I-made-Saudi-league-popular-before-Ronaldo-arrived-Mohammed-Polo-1821464 |access-date=2023-08-27 |website=GhanaWeb |language=en}}
==Later career==
In 1985 Polo returned to the league of Ghana for Hearts of Oak where he stayed for 2 seasons. He returned to Hearts of Oak in 1989 for another 3-year spell with the club. In 1992 he signed again for Accra Great Olympics ending his career in 1994, aged 38, to move into coaching.
=International career=
He was first called-up to play for the Black Stars at age 17.{{Cite web |title=Mohammed Polo, Biography |url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/person/Mohammed-Polo-6400 |access-date=2023-08-27 |website=www.ghanaweb.com |archive-date=27 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230827164959/https://www.ghanaweb.com/person/Mohammed-Polo-6400 |url-status=dead }} In the 1978 African Cup of Nations where Ghana won its third AFCON title, Polo scored a goal and was listed as a forward in the CAF Team of the Tournament along 3 other Ghanaian players.{{Cite web |title=African Nations Cup 1978 |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tables/78a.html |access-date=2023-08-27 |website=www.rsssf.org}}
He played 54 times scoring 20 goals for Ghana national team from 1973 until 1985.
Post-playing career
He was appointed head coach of Ghana Premier League club Accra Hearts of Oak in 1994 and then in 2013 for seven months.{{Cite web |date=2013-11-25 |title=Confirmed! Mohammed Polo is new Hearts Coach - MyJoyOnline.com |url=https://www.myjoyonline.com/confirmed-mohammed-polo-is-new-hearts-coach/ |access-date=2023-09-29 |website=www.myjoyonline.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2014-06-25 |title=Hearts of Oak parts ways with coach Polo |url=https://citifmonline.com/2014/06/hearts-of-oak-part-ways-with-coach-polo/ |access-date=2023-09-29 |website=Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always |language=en-US}} In 2004, Polo was appointed the technical head of the Ghanaian football club Accra Great Olympics.{{Cite web |last=Ghana News Agency |date=19 January 2004 |title=Olympics name new technical team |url=https://www.modernghana.com/news/47743/olympics-name-new-technical-team.html |access-date=29 September 2023 |website=Modern Ghana}} Mohammed Polo owns the soccer academy Golden Stars Academy,{{cite news |date=29 May 2006 |title=Improving Ghana's football infrastructure for CAN 2008 |publisher=Panapress |url=http://www.panapress.com/mondial2002/infghanaeng.htm |url-status=dead |access-date=2008-04-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080406234457/http://www.panapress.com/mondial2002/infghanaeng.htm |archive-date=2008-04-06}} which trained at Legon, however has now been renamed Polo Soccer Academy. {{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}
Legacy
In 2020, as a speculation regarding Ghana's greatest player of all time had emerged, Polo claimed to be Ghana's best footballer ever{{Cite web |url=https://www.modernghana.com/sports/1007769/undefined |title=I Am Ghana's All Time Greatest Player - Mohammed Polo |access-date=8 June 2020 |publisher= modernghana.com|author= Samuel Ekow Amoasi Appiah }}{{Cite web |url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/features/I-m-Ghana-s-G-O-A-T-Mohammed-Polo-973870|title=I'm Ghana's G.O.A.T - Mohammed Polo - GhanaWeb|access-date=8 June 2020 |publisher= www.ghanaweb.com|author= }} following a statement by Osei Kofi who said the same about himself. Polo's statement was also back by Abedi Pele,{{cite news|title=Pele recognizing me as his idol means I am the best ever - Max
|url=https://www.max.com.gh/pele-recognizing-me-as-his-idol-means-i-am-the-best-ever-mohammed-polo/|publisher=max.com.gh}} Kwabena Yeboah and Kwabena Agyapong.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/A-Plus-Kwabena-Agyapong-and-two-others-who-believe-Mohammed-Polo-is-the-best-Ghanaian-player-ever-1582481?gallery=1 |title=A Plus, Kwabena Agyapong and two others who believe Polo is Ghana's GOAT|access-date= |publisher= ghanaweb.com|author= }}{{Cite web |url=https://www.pulse.com.gh/sports/football/black-stars/abedi-pele-3rd-on-kwabena-agyapongs-list-of-ghanas-greatest-footballers-of-all-time/vbgrg73 |title=
Abedi Pele 3rd on Kwabena Agyapong's list of Ghana's greatest ever player|access-date= |publisher= pulse.com|author=
}} On 9 September 2021, Ghanaian-born singer and political activist Kwame Asare Obeng (aka A Plus) stated that Polo is the third greatest player in history, only behind Pelé and Diego Maradona praising his dribbling abilities.{{Cite web |url=https://www.pulse.com.gh/sports/football/mohammed-polo-was-better-than-lionel-messi-a-plus/81ng79b |title=Mohammed Polo was better than Lionel Messi – A Plus - Pulse Ghana
|access-date=9 September 2021 |publisher= pulse.com|author=
}}
Honours
Polo has won the following honours{{cite web |title=The Club:Personal Awards |url=http://www.accraheartsofoak.com/club/personalawards.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070606033047/http://www.accraheartsofoak.com/club/personalawards.php |archive-date=2007-06-06 |access-date=2007-04-08 |work=Official website |publisher=Accra Hearts Of Oak Sporting Club}}{{cite web |last=Pierrend |first=José Luis |date=14 Feb 2000 |title=African Player of the Year 1977 |url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/afrpoy77.html |access-date=2007-04-08 |work=Football statistics website |publisher=Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation}}{{Cite web |title=African Player of the Year 1977 |url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/afrpoy77.html |access-date=2023-09-29 |website=www.rsssf.org}}{{Cite web |title=Soccer News of Friday, 6 January 2006 |url=http://ghanaweb.net/GhanaHomePage/SportsArchive/artikel.php?ID=97203&comment=1744585 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927070811/http://ghanaweb.net/GhanaHomePage/SportsArchive/artikel.php?ID=97203&comment=1744585 |archive-date=2007-09-27 |access-date=2007-04-08}}{{cite news |last=Kumi |first=Sylvanus |date=20 January 2006 |title=Mohammed Polo And Abedi Pele Commended |publisher=New Times Corporation |url=http://www.newtimesonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1068&Itemid=213 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930190244/http://www.newtimesonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1068&Itemid=213 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=30 September 2007 |access-date=2007-04-08}}{{cite web |title=The World Cup Is Coming To Ghana - Kufuor |url=http://www.ghana.gov.gh/news/article.php?id=0000013260 |access-date=2007-04-08 |work=Official website |publisher=Ghana government |quote=A special award dubbed: "Break Down Barriers" was presented to Ghana's great soccer, the dibbling magician, Mohammed Ahmed Polo for using football to unite the people of Dagbon during the Northern conflict. One of his high points was when he organised a special football friendly match in the heat of the conflict between the Nanumbas and the Kokombas to ease the tension.}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}
| class="wikitable"
|+ !Award by !Honour |
| 1978 African Cup of Nations
|Champions |
| 1978 African Cup of Nations
|Team of the tournament |
| Ghana Football Association (1975)
|Footballer of the year |
| France Football Magazine – African Player of the Year (1977)
|4th place |
| UAE League 1981–82, 1982–83
|Champions |
| Coca-Cola Award on Breaking Barriers (2006)
|Awarded |
Notes and references
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{FIFA player|45115|Mohammed Ahmed}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110408020142/http://www.ghanatoghana.com/Ghanahomepage/alhaji-mohammed-ahmed-polo-biography Mohammed Ahmed Polo Biography]
{{Ghana squad 1978 African Cup of Nations}}
{{Ghana squad 1984 African Cup of Nations}}
{{1978 Africa Cup of Nations Team of the Tournament}}
{{Ghanaian Footballer of the Year}}
{{Clear}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Polo, Mohammed Ahmed}}
Category:Accra Hearts of Oak S.C. players
Category:Ghana men's international footballers
Category:Ghanaian men's footballers
Category:Ghanaian expatriate men's footballers
Category:Sekondi Hasaacas F.C. players
Category:1978 African Cup of Nations players
Category:1984 African Cup of Nations players
Category:Africa Cup of Nations–winning players
Category:UAE Pro League players
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Accra Hearts of Oak S.C. managers
Category:Ghanaian football managers
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in the United Arab Emirates
Category:Ghanaian expatriate sportspeople in the United Arab Emirates