Harrison Afful facts for kids
Afful with Ghana in 2015
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Harrison Afful | |||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 24 July 1986 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Tema, Ghana | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in) | |||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Fullback | |||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||
| –2005 | Feyenoord Academy | |||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||
| 2005–2009 | Feyenoord Academy | |||||||||||||||
| 2007–2009 | → Asante Kotoko (loan) | (1+) | ||||||||||||||
| 2009–2015 | Espérance de Tunis | 118 | (11) | |||||||||||||
| 2015–2021 | Columbus Crew | 164 | (6) | |||||||||||||
| 2022–2023 | Charlotte FC | 21 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 2024 | Michigan Stars | 0 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| International career‡ | ||||||||||||||||
| 2006 | Ghana U20 | 6 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 2009 | Ghana A' | 8 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 2008–2018 | Ghana | 84 | (0) | |||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 4 January 2023 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 18 November 2018 |
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Harrison Afful (born 24 July 1986) is a Ghanaian former footballer. He played as a fullback. He played for teams like Feyenoord Academy, Espérance de Tunis, and Columbus Crew. He also spent time on loan at Asante Kotoko.
Afful started his career at the Feyenoord Academy. He then moved on loan to Asante Kotoko. There, he helped them win the Ghana Premier League in 2007–08. After four years in Ghana, Afful joined Espérance de Tunis in Tunisia. He played there for six seasons. His team won four league titles. They also reached three CAF Champions League finals, winning in 2011. Afful scored the winning goal in that final. In 2015, he moved to the United States. He joined Columbus Crew and helped them reach the MLS Cup 2015 final.
For his country, Afful played for the Ghana national team. He debuted at the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations, where Ghana finished third. He played in four more AFCON tournaments. Ghana was runner-up in 2010 and 2015. He was part of Ghana's team for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He played two matches in that tournament. Afful also captained Ghana for the first time in 2015.
Contents
Early Life and Football Dreams
Harrison Afful was born in Tema, Ghana. He grew up in a town called Nungua, about 23 kilometers away. As a child, he loved watching the Ghana national team play on TV. He dreamed of becoming a professional footballer himself.
Club Career Highlights
Starting at Feyenoord Academy
Afful joined the Feyenoord Academy when he was young. A scout named Sam Arday discovered his talent. He moved up through the youth teams to the main senior team. He played 148 games for the academy and scored 11 goals. In 2008, he tried out for Feyenoord, the main club in the Netherlands. But they told him he was too small and did not offer him a contract. He also trained with other clubs but returned to Ghana.
Loan to Asante Kotoko
After his academy team was moved to a lower league, Afful joined Asante Kotoko on loan. This move brought him back to the Ghana Premier League. He quickly impressed the coach, Bashir Hayford. Afful made his league debut on December 2, 2007. He even scored a goal in a 3–0 win.
He was named the league's Player of the Year in 2007–08. Asante Kotoko won the Ghana Premier League title that season. After his first loan ended, he tried out for clubs in Europe again. When those didn't work out, he returned to Asante Kotoko for another loan. He played 68 games for them, scoring five goals.
Playing in Tunisia with Espérance de Tunis
Early Years and First Goals
On August 25, 2009, Afful signed a three-year contract with Espérance de Tunis (EST) in Tunisia. He had already trained with the club and scored in a friendly game. This helped convince them to sign him. He played his first game for EST on September 12, a 4–0 victory. Afful scored his first two goals for the club in spring 2010. He finished his first season with two goals in 23 games. His team won their second league title in a row.
Champions League Success
In his second season, Afful played a big role in the 2010 CAF Champions League. He helped EST reach the final against TP Mazembe. Even though they lost the final, Afful scored his first Champions League goal. He played 31 games that season, scoring once.
In 2011, Afful again helped Tunis reach the CAF Champions League final. This was their second final in a row. In the second game of the final, he scored a fantastic goal. His left-footed shot went into the top corner. This goal gave Tunis a 1–0 win and their second Champions League title. Because they won, Tunis played in the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup. Afful played in two matches there. He played 31 games that season, scoring one goal.
Afful signed a new contract with Espérance de Tunis in July 2012. He started scoring more goals in the league. He also helped EST reach their third straight Champions League final in 2012. However, he missed the second game of the final due to yellow cards. Tunis lost that final. He played 28 games that season, scoring three goals.
Final Seasons and Moving On
The 2013–14 season was Afful's busiest. He played 38 matches and scored six goals. He scored important goals that helped Tunis win their fourth league title during his time there. He also played in the 2013 CAF Champions League, but his team lost in the semifinals.
In 2014, there were rumors that many European clubs wanted to sign Afful. But he stayed with Espérance de Tunis. In August 2014, he scored two goals in a single match. His contract ended in June 2015. After six seasons, 183 games, and 17 goals, Afful left the club.
Joining Columbus Crew in the USA
First Years in Columbus
After leaving Tunisia, Afful joined Major League Soccer (MLS) club Columbus Crew SC in July 2015. He was recommended by a former Ghanaian player. He made his debut on August 19. Afful played a key role in Crew SC's run to the MLS Cup 2015 final. He played the whole final game, but Columbus lost 2–1. He played 14 games in his first season.
Afful stayed with Columbus for the 2016 season. He scored his first MLS goal on July 13 against Toronto FC. He scored two more goals later that season. He played 30 games, scoring three goals and making three assists.
Dealing with Injuries
The 2017 season was tough for Afful due to several injuries. Even though he didn't score in the regular season, he scored in the 2017 MLS Cup Playoffs. He scored a crucial goal in the first game of the semifinals, helping Columbus win. He finished the season with one goal in 29 games.
In 2018, Afful played well. He scored two goals and made six assists in 35 games. He helped Columbus win three games in a row in July and August. He also made an assist in the playoffs.
In 2019, Afful had another injury. He broke his jaw in a game in March. He missed eleven matches because of this. He returned in June and played 24 games that season. He made two assists. After the season, he signed a new contract to stay with the Crew.
Winning Trophies with the Crew
In 2020, Afful played in the 2020 season. He played almost every game after the season restarted due to the pandemic. He scored one goal. In the 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs, he started every game. The Crew reached the MLS Cup 2020 final. In the final, he made an assist that led to the winning goal. The Crew won 3–0, and Afful won his first trophy with the team.
In 2021, Afful played his final season with the Crew. He played 30 games. He helped the Crew win the 2021 Campeones Cup, their second trophy during his time there. After seven seasons, 188 games, and seven goals, Afful's contract ended. He left Columbus.
Moving to Charlotte FC and Michigan Stars
After leaving Columbus, Afful signed with new MLS team Charlotte FC in December 2021. He played 21 games for them in 2022. He re-signed with Charlotte for the 2023 season. However, Charlotte FC decided not to offer him a contract for 2024.
In April 2024, Afful played for National Independent Soccer Association team Michigan Stars FC. He appeared in a cup game for them.
International Career for Ghana
Afful first played for Ghana at the under-20 level. He played six games and scored one goal in 2006.
Playing in Africa Cup of Nations
Afful made his debut for the senior national team at the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations. He was called up to the team by coach Claude Le Roy. He played his first game on February 9 in the third-place match. Ghana won 4–2. Afful helped Ghana qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He was part of the team for the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations final, but he did not play in the tournament. He was not chosen for the 2010 World Cup squad.
The 2014 World Cup Journey
Afful was called back to the Ghana team in June 2012. He played in qualifiers for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He was also part of the Ghanaian team for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations. He played five games in that tournament.
On May 12, 2014, Afful was named in Ghana's team for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He played two matches in the tournament. He made an assist in a draw against Germany.
AFCON Finals and World Cup Qualifiers
Afful played in all six games during Ghana's qualification for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations. He was then named to the team for the main tournament. He played in every match, helping Ghana reach the final against Ivory Coast. Afful scored his penalty in the shootout, but Ghana lost the final. This was his second time as an AFCON runner-up.
Later in 2015, Afful captained Ghana for the first time. He led the team to a 3–2 win against Congo. He also played in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations. He played every minute as Ghana finished fourth.
Ghana did not qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Afful played in six qualifying matches. He returned to the Ghana team in late 2018. He played in two matches that helped Ghana qualify for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. However, he was injured and not on the team for the tournament.
Career Statistics
Club Appearances
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Feyenoord Academy | 2005 | Ghana Premier League | — | — | ||||||||
| 2006–07 | Ghana Premier League | — | — | — | ||||||||
| 2008 | Division One League | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 2009 | Division One League | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 148 | 11 | ||||||
| Asante Kotoko (loan) | 2007–08 | Ghana Premier League | 1+ | — | 3 | 0 | 1+ | 0+ | ||||
| 2008–09 | Ghana Premier League | — | 0 | 0 | ||||||||
| Total | 1+ | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1+ | 0+ | 68 | 5 | |||
| ES Tunis | 2009–10 | Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 23 | 2 |
| 2010–11 | Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 | 17 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 1 | — | 31 | 1 | ||
| 2011–12 | Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 31 | 1 | |
| 2012–13 | Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 | 17 | 3 | — | 11 | 0 | — | 28 | 3 | |||
| 2013–14 | Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 | 27 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 2 | — | 38 | 6 | ||
| 2014–15 | Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 | 23 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 2 | — | 32 | 4 | ||
| Total | 118 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 55 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 183 | 17 | ||
| Columbus Crew | 2015 | Major League Soccer | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 5 | 0 | 14 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 30 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 30 | 3 | ||||
| 2017 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 5 | 1 | 29 | 1 | |||
| 2018 | 32 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | 35 | 2 | |||
| 2019 | 22 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 24 | 0 | ||||
| 2020 | 21 | 1 | — | — | 5 | 0 | 26 | 1 | ||||
| 2021 | 26 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 30 | 0 | |||
| Total | 164 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 19 | 1 | 188 | 7 | ||
| Charlotte FC | 2022 | Major League Soccer | 21 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 24 | 1 | ||
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Total | 21 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 1 | ||
| Career total | 303+ | 18+ | 9 | 1 | 61 | 6 | 26+ | 1+ | 611 | 41 | ||
International Appearances
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ghana | 2008 | 10 | 0 |
| 2009 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2010 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2011 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2012 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 14 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 14 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 11 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 2 | 0 | |
| Total | 84 | 0 | |
Honours and Awards
Harrison Afful has won many awards and trophies throughout his career:
- Asante Kotoko
- Ghana Premier League: 2007–08
- SWAG Cup: 2008
- GHALCA President's Cup: 2008
- Espérance de Tunis
- Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1: 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2013–14
- Tunisian Cup: 2010–11
- CAF Champions League: 2011
- Columbus Crew
- MLS Cup: 2020
- Campeones Cup: 2021
- Individual Awards
- African Nations Championship Best XI: 2009
- CAF Team of the Year: 2011
- Ghana Player of the Year: 2014
- Africa Cup of Nations Team of the Tournament: 2015
See also
In Spanish: Harrison Afful para niños
