John Paintsil Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
John Paintsil
Personal information
Paintsil with Fulham in 2009
Full name	John Paintsil
Date of birth	(1981-06-15) 15 June 1981 (age 44)
Place of birth	Berekum, Brong-Ahafo, Ghana
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Full back, defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team	Kaizer Chiefs (assistant manager)
Youth career
1997–1999	Berekum Arsenal
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1999–2000	Berekum Arsenal	0	(0)
2000–2001	Liberty Professionals	10	(0)
2001–2002	Berekum Arsenal	12	(1)
2002–2004	Maccabi Tel Aviv	46	(0)
2004–2006	Hapoel Tel Aviv	46	(4)
2006–2008	West Ham United	19	(0)
2008–2011	Fulham	75	(0)
2011–2012	Leicester City	6	(0)
2012–2013	Hapoel Tel Aviv	9	(0)
2013–2014	Santos	17	(0)
2014–2016	Maritzburg United	34	(0)
Total		274	(5)
International career
2001–2013	Ghana	89	(0)
Managerial career
2016–	Kaizer Chiefs (assistant manager)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

John Paintsil (born 15 June 1981) is a former professional footballer from Ghana. He played as a full back or defensive midfielder. Paintsil also served as an assistant coach at Kaizer Chiefs in the South African Premiership.

His family name is Paintsil. However, when he was born, it was mistakenly written as Pantsil. This spelling then appeared on his passport and his official registration with the Premier League.

Club Career Highlights
International Career for Ghana
- FIFA World Cup Appearances
Managerial Role
Personal Life and Habits
Honours and Achievements
- Player Awards
Images for kids
See also

Club Career Highlights

Starting Out in Ghana

John Paintsil began his football journey in his home country, Ghana. He played for local clubs like Berekum Arsenal and Liberty Professionals. He was a versatile player, comfortable playing as a right-back or in midfield.

Playing in Israel

In 2002, Paintsil moved to Israel and joined Maccabi Tel Aviv. He was part of the team that won the Israeli league title. He also played in the UEFA Champions League for the club.

Later, in December 2004, he moved to a rival team, Hapoel Tel Aviv. With Hapoel, he helped them finish second in the league in 2006. He also won the Israeli State Cup with them in May 2006.

Time in England with West Ham

Paintsil playing for West Ham United in 2008

After the 2006 World Cup, Paintsil moved to England to play for West Ham United. He joined the team in August 2006. He competed for a spot as a right-back.

During his time at West Ham, he made 24 appearances. Most of these were as a substitute player. In July 2008, he was allowed to talk to Fulham about a possible move.

Success at Fulham

Paintsil with Fulham in 2008

On 15 July 2008, John Paintsil joined Fulham. He quickly became a regular player in the team. During the 2008–09 season, he helped Fulham achieve a record seventh-place finish in the league.

He continued to play well and kept his starting spot in the 2009–10 season. In June 2011, Fulham's new manager decided that Paintsil would not return for the next season. He left the club that same month.

Short Stints and Retirement

Paintsil playing for Leicester City

On 21 July 2011, Paintsil joined Leicester City on a free transfer. He played seven games for them in total. He was released by Leicester in May 2012.

He then returned to Hapoel Tel Aviv in Israel for one season. After that, he played for Santos and Maritzburg United in South Africa. He was released by Maritzburg United in January 2016.

John Paintsil officially retired from playing professional football on 24 June 2016.

International Career for Ghana

Paintsil playing for Ghana's national team during the FIFA World Cup 2010

John Paintsil represented Ghana at various levels. He was part of the Ghana Under 21 team that finished second in the FIFA World Youth Championship in 2001. He also played for the senior national team, known as the Black Stars.

He participated in the African Cup of Nations in 2002 and 2006. Paintsil was also a member of Ghana's football team at the 2004 Olympic Games in Greece.

FIFA World Cup Appearances

Paintsil played in all of Ghana's matches during the 2006 FIFA World Cup finals. Ghana reached the second round but was defeated by Brazil.

He was also a key player for the Ghanaian team in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Ghana made it to the quarter-finals in that tournament. They lost to Uruguay in a very close match. Paintsil played in all five games for Ghana in 2010. During a World Cup match against Serbia, his jersey showed his name as 'Panstil'.

Managerial Role

After retiring as a player, John Paintsil moved into coaching. On 27 June 2016, he became the new assistant manager at Kaizer Chiefs.

Personal Life and Habits

John Paintsil is known for his unique habit of sometimes wearing only one sleeve on his left arm during winter matches. He would cut off the other sleeve, leaving his right arm bare. He once shared that this unusual habit came from a dream where he played very well with one long and one short sleeve. He also used to do a special lap of honor after home matches.

In September 2024, Paintsil was involved in a car accident with Otto Addo and Fatau Dauda. Their vehicle was damaged while avoiding a head-on crash. The Ghana Football Association confirmed that all three were in stable condition after the incident.