Samuel Kuffour
Samuel Osei " Sammy" Kuffour ( born September 3, 1976 in Kumasi ) is a former German - Ghanaian footballer. He played mostly as a central defender, but has been used from time to time as a right-back. His greatest successes came with Bayern Munich, with whom he once the Champions League, and several times won the German championship and the DFB Cup among others.
Clubs
Kuffour played from the seventh to the fourteenth year in his hometown club Fantomas Kumasi and moved in 1990 to local rivals King Faisal Babes. In 1991 he got the chance to go abroad and joined the youth department of FC Turin. He played two years for the FC Bayern Munich became aware of him. From 1993 to 2005 he played with the German record champions, from 1994 in the first team. On October 29, 1994 ( 11th Round ) debuted Kuffour 's 2-2 draw at home to VfB Stuttgart, against whom he on 15 October 1997 (10th Round ) reduce the deficit to 3-3 draw his first Bundesliga goal scored. Shortly before the second round in 1995/96 he was until the end of season 1 to the second division side FC Nuremberg on loan.
With Bayern he won his greatest successes: He Lost the 1999 Champions League final against Manchester United most unfortunate, as he won in 2001 in Milan this against Valencia, which drew another final in itself. In the match for the World Cup against the counterpart from South America, the Boca Juniors Buenos Aires, Kuffour was with his goal to make it 1-0 after extra instrumental track with. In addition, he won six German championships, four times the DFB Cup five times and the League Cup.
For the season 2005/ 06 he moved to the Italian first division club AS Roma, where he was awarded a three -year contract. The 2006/07 season on loan with the Kuffour played league rivals AS Livorno.
After half a year without an assignment for the Roma Kuffour joined in January 2008 for the first division club Ajax Amsterdam, where he was scheduled to retired Jaap Stam. Kuffour could not close the gap, which is why he left Ajax after only two appearances in six months. After a month without a club the switch to FK Khimki already proclaimed in the Russian league as Premjer fix what, however, turned out to be " duck "; then Kuffour consultant Giuseppe dello Russo finally gave in early September 2008 End of career Kuffour known. Kuffour himself but explained that he had only taken a break and continued to look around for a new club. In April 2009 he finally signed a contract with Asante Kotoko, the reigning champions of the Ghana Premier League, where he finished finally after the three -month contract period of his career.
National
His first game for Ghana, he played at age 17 against Sierra Leone. From 5 to 20 March 1993, he participated in the U- 20 World Cup in Australia in part, completed six games until the final, which they lost 1-2 against Brazil and scored on 9 March, in the second group game (with 2 :2- draw against Germany ) 1-0 ahead and thus his only Turniertor. From 21 August to 4 September 1993, he participated in the U -17 World Cup in Japan in part, completed up to the quarter-finals, 1-0 win over Australia all games, but lost the final with 1-2 against Nigeria.
With the Olympic team selection, he took part in the 1992 and 1996 Olympic football tournament. In the first tournament in 3rd place match ( 1-0 win over Australia), he won the bronze medal with the team. It also adopted the Africa Championships in 1996, 1998, 2000 ( since 1999 captain of the national team ), 2002, 2006 part, with the 4th place in 1996 was the biggest success in the national team.
Kuffour also took part in the 2006 World Cup, where he underwent such a serious mistake in the first group match against Italy, that he was then replaced in his position by Illiasu Shilla. When back-pass to his own goalkeeper, the ball came to the unhappy striker Vincenzo Iaquinta prepare bullet, which caused the 2-0 in the 83rd minute for the preliminary decision of his team.
Achievements
Association
- World Cup winner: 2001
- Champions League winner: 2001
- Champions League finalists: 1999
- German master (6): 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005
- DFB Cup winners (4): 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005
- League Cup winners ( 5): 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2004
- Italian Supercup winner: 2007
National
- U- 17 World Cup 1991
- Second in the U- 20 World Cup 1993
- Second in the U- 17 World Cup 1993
- Bronze medal at the 1992 Olympic Games
Awards
- Ghana Footballer of the Year in 1998, 1999, 2001
- Second best football player in Africa in 1999, 2001
- BBC African Footballer of the Year: 2001
Others
Samuel Kuffour took on 6 March 2005 at the German citizenship, to no longer fall under the non-EU quota. He was only 14 years old when he took part in the U- 17 World Cup in 1991. With six dismissals ( three red cards, three yellow card and red card ) he takes the third place in the ranking of " player with the most dismissals " in the football league one. He was nominated for election " European Footballer of the Year " in 2001 and ranked among the " Top 30 " in the choice of "Africa's best footballer of all time ."
Personal
Kuffour is married with Francisca, with whom he has three children. His youngest daughter died in 2003 in a swimming accident. He now lives in the Ghanaian capital Accra, where he is responsible for real estate. In his spare time, he still plays football with the former Bundesliga professionals Anthony Yeboah and Charles Akonnor.