Charles Gyamfi facts for kids
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Charles Kumi Gyamfi | |||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 4 December 1929 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Accra, Ghana | |||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 1 September 2015 (aged 85) | |||||||||||||||
| Place of death | Accra, Ghana | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | |||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Midfielder | |||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | |||||||||||||
| 1948 | Sailors | |||||||||||||||
| 1948–1949 | Ebusua Dwarfs | |||||||||||||||
| 1949–1954 | Asante Kotoko | |||||||||||||||
| 1954–1956 | Kumasi Great Ashantis | |||||||||||||||
| 1956–1960 | Hearts of Oak | |||||||||||||||
| 1960–1961 | Fortuna Düsseldorf | |||||||||||||||
| National team | ||||||||||||||||
| 1950–1961 | Ghana | |||||||||||||||
| Teams managed | ||||||||||||||||
| 1963–1965 | Ghana | |||||||||||||||
| 1972 | Africa XI | |||||||||||||||
| 1982 | Ghana | |||||||||||||||
| 1983–1984 | Municipal Club | |||||||||||||||
| 1984 | Somalia U21 | |||||||||||||||
| 1988–1991 | AFC Leopards | |||||||||||||||
| 1992–1993 | Ashanti Gold | |||||||||||||||
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Honours
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Charles Kumi Gyamfi (born December 4, 1929 – died September 2, 2015) was a famous Ghanaian soccer player and coach. He made history as the first African player to play professional soccer in Germany. This happened when he joined Fortuna Düsseldorf in 1960. Later, as a coach, he became the first to lead the Ghana national football team to win the Africa Cup of Nations.
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Who Was Charles Gyamfi?
Charles Kumi Gyamfi was born in Accra, Ghana. He went to primary school at the Accra Royal School in James Town. He loved soccer from a young age and became a very important person in Ghanaian football history. He was known for his skill as a player and his smart strategies as a coach.
Playing Career
Charles Gyamfi played for several top clubs in Ghana. He started his career in 1948. He played for teams like Sailors, Ebusua Dwarfs, and Asante Kotoko. He also played for Kumasi Great Ashantis and Hearts of Oak.
Playing in Germany
In 1960, Charles Gyamfi moved to Germany. He joined the club Fortuna Düsseldorf. This was a big moment because he was the first African player to play professional soccer in Germany. It opened doors for many other African players. He played there until 1961.
National Team Player
From 1950 to 1961, Charles Gyamfi also played for the Ghana national team. He was a key player for his country before he became their coach.
Coaching Achievements
Charles Gyamfi is most famous for his amazing success as a coach for the Ghana national football team. He led the team, known as the Black Stars, to win the Africa Cup of Nations three times.
Africa Cup of Nations Wins
He won the Africa Cup of Nations in:
- 1963
- 1965
- 1982
Winning the tournament three times made him the most successful coach in the competition's history for a long time. Later, Hassan Shehata from Egypt also achieved this record.
Olympic Games Coach
Gyamfi also coached the Ghana national team during their first appearance at the Olympic Games in 1964. He returned to coach the Olympic team again for the 1972 tournament.
Other Coaching Roles
Besides coaching Ghana, Gyamfi also coached other teams. He managed Africa XI, Municipal Club, and the Somalia U21 team. He also coached club teams like AFC Leopards in Kenya and Ashanti Gold in Ghana.
Legacy
Charles Gyamfi passed away on September 2, 2015. He is remembered as a true legend of African football. His achievements as both a player and a coach paved the way for many others. He showed that African talent could shine on the world stage.
