Winful Cobbinah

{{short description|Ghanaian professional footballer|bot=PearBOT 5}}

{{Infobox football biography

|name = Winful Cobbinah

|image =

|image_size =

|caption =

|fullname = Winful Essau Cobbinah

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1991|9|6|df=y}}

|birth_place = Accra, Ghana

|height = {{height|m=1.80}}

|position = Attacking midfielder

|currentclub = Petrojet

|clubnumber = 18

|youthyears1 =

|youthclubs1 = Starke Professionals

|years1 =

|clubs1 = BT Professionals

|caps1 =

|goals1 =

|years2 =

|clubs2 = Tudu Mighty Jets

|caps2 =

|goals2 =

|years3 = 2012–2014

|clubs3 = Hearts of Oak

|caps3 = 25

|goals3 = 1

|years4 = 2014–2015

|clubs4 = Najran SC

|caps4 = 18

|goals4 = 3

|years5 = 2017–2018

|clubs5 = Hearts of Oak

|caps5 = 25

|goals5 = 5

|years6 = 2018–2020

|clubs6 = Tirana

|caps6 = 68

|goals6 = 10

|years7 = 2020–2022

|clubs7 = Cleopatra

|caps7 = 31

|goals7 = 0

|years8 = 2022–

|clubs8 = Petrojet

|caps8 = 0

|goals8 = 0

|nationalyears1 =

|nationalteam1 = Ghana U17

|nationalcaps1 = 12

|nationalgoals1 = 8

|nationalyears2 =

|nationalteam2 = Ghana U20

|nationalcaps2 = 26

|nationalgoals2 = 17

|nationalyears3 = 2017–

|nationalteam3 = Ghana

|nationalcaps3 = 3

|nationalgoals3 = 2

|club-update = 16:18, 19 July 2018 (UTC)

|ntupdate = 16:18, 19 July 2018 (UTC)

}}

Winful Essau Cobbinah (born 6 September 1991) is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays for Egyptian club Petrojet, as an attacking midfielder.

Club career

Cobbinah began his career in his native Ghana, playing for Starke Professionals, BT Professionals and Tudu Mighty Jets, before signing for Ghana Premier League club Hearts of Oak in 2012.{{cite web|url=http://ghanafans.com/world-football-news/ghana-soccer/ghana-premier-league-news/2017/05/19/meet-winful-cobbinah-golden-boy-accra-hearts-oak|title=Meet Winful Cobbinah: The Golden Boy of Accra Hearts of Oak|publisher=Ghana Fans|date=1 December 2017|accessdate=19 July 2018}}

In 2014, Cobbinah signed for Saudi Arabian club Najran.{{soccerway|winful-cobbinah/384811|accessdate=19 July 2018}} Cobbinah later terminated his contract at the club due to unpaid wages.{{cite web|url=https://www.pulse.com.gh/sports/ghanaian-player-winful-cobbinah-terminates-contract-with-al-najran-eyes-move-to-gpl-id5673119.html|title=Winful Cobbinah terminates contract with Al Najran, eyes move to GPL|publisher=Pulse Ghana|date=28 October 2016|accessdate=19 July 2018}}

In 2017, Cobbinah returned to Hearts of Oak. Cobbinah made 25 league appearances, scoring five times in his second spell at the club.{{cite web|url=http://www.worldfootball.com/p/71999/ghana/W.%20Cobbinah|title=Winful Cobbinah|publisher=World Football|accessdate=19 July 2018}}

On 13 July 2018, Cobbinah signed for Tirana.{{cite web|url=http://www.phobians.com/singlenews.php?id=359|title=Press release: Hearts transfers Winful Cobbinah to KF Tirana|publisher=Accra Hearts of Oak S.C.|date=13 July 2018|accessdate=19 July 2018}}

In October 2020, it was revealed that Cobbinah was awarded Albanian citizenship by President Ilir Meta.{{cite web |url=https://abcnews.al/ekskluzive-asist-padashje-i-ilir-metes-per-tiranen-si-young-boys-e-beri-cobbinah-shqiptar/|title=EKSKLUZIVE/ Asist padashje i Ilir Metës për Tiranën, si Young Boys e bëri Cobbinah shqiptar|date=3 October 2020}}

On Tuesday November 17, 2020, Newly promoted Egypt Premier League side Ceramica Cleopatra FC signed Ghanaian midfielder Winful Cobbinah on a free transfer after his contract with Albanian giants KF Tirana ended last month.

International career

After representing Ghana U17 and Ghana U20,{{cite web|url=http://www.tbdmanagement.com/winful/|title=Winful's profile|publisher=TBD Management|accessdate=19 July 2018}} Cobbinah made his senior debut for Ghana on 25 May 2017 against Benin.{{cite web|url=http://www.espn.com/soccer/match?gameId=479349|title=Ghana 1–1 Benin|publisher=ESPN|accessdate=19 July 2018}} On 16 September 2017, Cobbinah scored his first goal for Ghana, in a 1–0 win against Mali in the 2017 WAFU Cup of Nations.{{cite web|url=http://www.espn.com/soccer/match?gameId=496840|title=Ghana 1–0 Mali|publisher=ESPN|accessdate=19 July 2018}}