Michael Essien facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Michael Essien

Essien in 2018
Personal information
Full name	Michael Kojo Essien
Date of birth	(1982-12-03) 3 December 1982 (age 42)
Place of birth	Accra, Ghana
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Nordsjælland (assistant coach)
Youth career
1998–1999	Liberty Professionals
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2000–2003	Bastia	66	(11)
2003–2005	Lyon	71	(7)
2005–2014	Chelsea	168	(17)
2012–2013	→ Real Madrid (loan)	21	(2)
2014–2015	AC Milan	20	(0)
2015–2016	Panathinaikos	16	(1)
2017–2018	Persib Bandung	29	(5)
2019–2020	Sabail	14	(0)
Total		402	(43)
International career
2002–2014	Ghana	59	(9)
Managerial career
2020–	Nordsjælland (assistant)
Medal record Representing  Ghana Men's football Africa Cup of Nations Third 2008 Ghana Runner-up 2010 Angola
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Michael Kojo Essien (born 3 December 1982) is a Ghanaian football coach and former player. He is currently an assistant coach at the Danish club Nordsjælland. During his best playing years, many people thought he was one of the top midfielders in the world.

Essien started his football journey in Ghana with Liberty Professionals. In 2000, he moved to France to play for Bastia. After three seasons, he joined Ligue 1 champions Lyon in 2003. At Lyon, Essien helped the team win two league titles in a row. He was also named the best player in Ligue 1 in 2005.

Later in 2005, Essien joined Premier League club Chelsea for a large transfer fee. This made him the most expensive African footballer at that time. At Chelsea, he won many important trophies. These included the Premier League twice, three FA Cups, and one League Cup. He also helped Chelsea win the UEFA Champions League in 2012. He was even a runner-up in the Champions League in 2008. Essien won the Chelsea Goal of the Season award twice.

He also played for the Ghana national team over 50 times. He helped Ghana finish third in the 1999 FIFA U-17 World Championship. He also helped them become runners-up in the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship. Essien played for Ghana in three Africa Cup of Nations tournaments. He also represented his country at the 2006 and 2014 FIFA World Cups.

Early Life and First Steps in Football

Michael Essien was born in Accra, Ghana. His parents are Aba Gyandoh and James Essien. He went to Gomoa Nyanyano DC Primary and JSS. After finishing St. Augustine's College, he started his football career. He played for a local club called Liberty Professionals. Essien grew up supporting Aston Villa. This was because his father loved the Birmingham-based club. Essien looked up to Paul McGrath and tried to play like him.

Essien became well-known when he played in the 1999 FIFA U-17 World Championship in New Zealand. Scouts from European clubs noticed him. In April 2000, he had a trial with Manchester United. He played for their under-17 team in a match against Derby County.

Manchester United offered him a contract. However, he could not get a work permit to play in the United Kingdom. He thought about joining Royal Antwerp in Belgium. This club was linked to Manchester United. But his mother wanted him to move to France instead.

Playing Career in Clubs

Starting in France: Bastia

In July 2000, Essien joined Division 1 club Bastia. He played his first game on 30 September 2000 against Metz. He came on as a substitute. At first, Essien did not play regularly. He played in different positions in defense. In his first season, he played 13 league games and scored one goal.

In the next season, manager Robert Nouzaret gave Essien a chance to play in central midfield. He did very well in this new role. Essien played alongside Nicolas Dieuze and Cyril Jeunechamp. He scored important goals against teams like Nantes and Lorient. On 12 January 2002, he scored a goal against Marseille to make the score 2–2. He also scored in the Coupe de la Ligue against Le Mans.

In the 2002–03 season, Essien became a regular starter. He was known for his strong and physical style of play. He scored on his first game of the season against Lens. He scored five more league goals that season. One of these was in a 2–0 win over the champions, Lyon. After this season, big clubs like Paris Saint-Germain, Lyon, and Marseille wanted to sign him.

Becoming a Champion at Lyon

Paris Saint-Germain made the best offer to Bastia, and it was accepted. But Essien chose to join Lyon instead. Lyon had won the league title twice in a row. They paid Bastia €7.8 million for him. Essien was given the number 4 shirt. He played as a box-to-box midfielder. This meant he helped both in attack and defense.

Essien played his first game for Lyon on 27 July 2003. It was in the Trophée des champions match against Auxerre. He scored his first goal for the club just five minutes into the game. Lyon won the match 2–1. This gave Essien his first trophy as a player. He scored his first league goal for Lyon in a 3–1 win over Monaco. He played regularly that season, making 33 league appearances and scoring two more goals. On 23 May 2004, Lyon won their third league title in a row. Essien came on as a substitute in the match. In the UEFA Champions League, Essien played in eight matches. Lyon was knocked out by Porto, who went on to win the tournament.

In his last season at Lyon, Essien played in almost every league game. Lyon won their fourth league title in a row. Essien scored three goals and received 11 yellow cards. His great performances led to him being voted the 2005 Player of the Year in France. Essien also helped Lyon reach the quarter-finals of the 2004–05 UEFA Champions League. He scored five goals in the tournament. Lyon was knocked out by PSV after a penalty shootout. At the end of the season, he was named Ligue 1 Player of the Year. He was also nominated for the 2005 FIFA World Player of the Year Award. His excellent play caught the attention of Chelsea.

Shining at Chelsea

Essien playing for Chelsea in 2006

On 14 August 2005, Lyon and Chelsea agreed on a £24.4 million fee for Essien. This ended a long period of transfer talks. At the time, this made Essien Chelsea's most expensive signing ever. The transfer was completed on 19 August.

Essien made his first appearance for Chelsea on 21 August 2005. He came on as a substitute against Arsenal. He wore the number 5 shirt. Chelsea won the match 1–0. He quickly became an important player for manager José Mourinho. He started in 31 league matches and played in 11 other cup games.

On 15 December 2005, Essien received a two-match ban from UEFA. This was for a tackle on Dietmar Hamann. Essien apologized to Hamann for the tackle. He said he wanted to be a tough player but not a bad one. Hamann accepted his apology. In January 2006, Essien himself was injured after a tackle from West Ham United's Nigel Reo-Coker. He was out for three weeks.

Essien warming up before a game in 2008

Essien scored his first goal for Chelsea on 11 March 2006. It was in a 2–1 win over Tottenham Hotspur. His second goal came on 17 April 2006 against Everton. He scored with a powerful shot. Essien finished his first season in England with two goals.

On 12 October 2006, Essien was nominated for the 2006 FIFA World Player of the Year Award. He finished 22nd. He was also nominated for the 2006 Ballon d'Or. He was voted the third Best African Footballer of the Year in both 2005 and 2006. He won the 2006 BBC African Footballer of the Year award.

In the next season, Essien scored several important goals. This included his first Champions League goal for Chelsea. It was in a 2–0 win over Werder Bremen. Later in the competition, Essien scored a late winning goal against Valencia. This sent Chelsea to the semifinals. It was his first game back after a knee injury. Essien also scored a stunning late goal against Arsenal on 10 December 2006. This goal saved Chelsea's long unbeaten run at home.

On 15 May 2007, Chelsea fans voted Essien as their Player of the Year. He was the first African player to win this award. His late goal against Arsenal was also voted Chelsea's Goal of the Season.

On 12 August 2007, Essien scored the winning goal in Chelsea's first game of the 2007–08 Premier League season. Chelsea beat Birmingham City. This set a new English record for unbeaten league matches at home.

Essien was nominated for the 2007 FIFA World Player of the Year Award for the third year in a row. He was also nominated for the 2007 Ballon d'Or. He was voted the 15th Best Player in the World. He was also nominated for the 2007 African Footballer of the Year award. He finished as runner-up.

On 22 July 2008, Essien signed a new five-year contract with Chelsea. This kept him at the club until 2013.

Essien playing for Chelsea in 2010

Essien had a serious knee injury in September 2008 while playing for Ghana. Many feared he would miss the whole 2008–09 Premier League season. But he returned on 7 March 2009. He came on as a substitute in an FA Cup match. In his second game back, Essien scored a vital goal against Juventus in the Champions League. Chelsea drew the match 2–2 and moved to the quarter-finals. He made his first league start after injury against Manchester City. He scored the only goal in that match.

On 6 May 2009, Essien scored a fantastic goal against Barcelona in the Champions League semifinal. Chelsea lost the tie due to the away goal rule. This goal was later voted Chelsea's Goal of the Season.

In the 2009–10 Premier League season, Essien played very well. He scored his first goal of the season against Blackburn Rovers. He scored two goals against Wolverhampton Wanderers. Essien got injured again while playing for Ghana in the 2010 African Nations Cup. He missed the rest of the English season. On 4 June 2010, he signed a two-year extension to his contract. This would keep him at Chelsea until 2015. Essien returned to play on 17 July 2010 in a friendly game. He scored the only goal in a win against Crystal Palace.

Essien missed the 2010 FIFA World Cup due to injury. He started the next season well for Chelsea. He scored two goals against West Ham United. He also scored against MŠK Žilina in the Champions League. Essien played well in many games. But he got injured again and missed two months. During this time, Chelsea struggled. He returned to score in an FA Cup penalty shootout loss.

Before the 2011–12 Premier League season, Essien suffered another serious knee injury. He had surgery on 11 July 2011. His recovery was expected to take up to six months. He started training lightly in November 2011. He made his comeback on 9 January 2012. He played 75 minutes for the reserve team. He made his 150th Premier League appearance for Chelsea as a substitute.

Because he missed much of the 2011–12 Premier League season, Essien did not play much under manager André Villas-Boas. On 21 February 2012, during a Champions League match, Villas-Boas left Essien and other experienced players on the bench. Chelsea lost the match. On 4 March 2012, Villas-Boas was replaced by Roberto Di Matteo. Di Matteo started to play experienced players like Essien more often. Essien started in Chelsea's Champions League match against Napoli. Chelsea won and moved to the quarter-finals. Essien was an unused substitute in Chelsea's Champions League final win against Bayern Munich. This made Chelsea the first London club to win the title.

Loan to Real Madrid

Essien playing for Real Madrid in 2013

On 31 August 2012, Essien joined Real Madrid on a loan for one season. This reunited him with his former Chelsea manager, José Mourinho. Mourinho called Essien "his son." Essien called Mourinho his "Daddy." On 3 November, Essien scored his first goal for Real Madrid. In his last game for Madrid, he scored his second goal. He dedicated this goal to Mourinho.

Playing in Italy and Greece

Essien signed with Italian club AC Milan on 27 January 2014. He signed a contract for one and a half years.

On 2 June 2015, Essien signed a two-year contract with Greek club Panathinaikos. This deal made him the highest-paid player at the club. He spent the first three months recovering from a leg injury. He played his first match one week later. On 24 January 2016, he scored his first goal for Panathinaikos. After one season, Essien was not included in Panathinaikos' squad for the 2016–17 season. He was later released from his contract.

Adventures in Asia: Persib Bandung

Essien turned down an offer from Australian club Melbourne Victory in September 2016.

On 13 March 2017, Essien joined Indonesian club Persib Bandung. He signed a one-year contract. He wore the number 5 shirt, the same number he wore at Chelsea. Essien hoped his move would encourage other famous players to come to Indonesia. On 22 April, he scored his first goal for Persib from a header.

On 17 March 2018, Persib announced that Essien had been released. This was because the club had too many foreign players according to league rules.

Coaching and Playing in Azerbaijan

On 16 March 2019, Essien signed a contract with Sabail FK in the Azerbaijan Premier League. The contract was for one and a half years. He also started coaching their U19 team.

International Career for Ghana

Essien tackling Makoto Hasebe of Japan in a friendly match in 2009

Essien's international career began with the Ghana under-17 national team. They were called the Black Starlets. He played in the 1999 FIFA U-17 World Championship in New Zealand. The team won the bronze medal. In 2001, Essien played in the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship with the Black Satellites. Ghana finished as runners-up to Argentina. His great performances made many people see him as a future star from Africa.

Essien made his first official game for the senior Ghana team on 21 January 2002. It was in the 2002 Africa Cup of Nations against Morocco.

On 16 May 2006, Essien was chosen to play for Ghana at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. He played in midfield with captain Stephen Appiah and Sulley Muntari. Essien played in Ghana's matches against Italy, the Czech Republic, and the United States. Ghana became the only African team to reach the second round of the 2006 World Cup. However, Essien was suspended for Ghana's second-round match against Brazil. Ghana lost 3–0.

In the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations, Essien played very well. He helped the team reach the semifinals. In the quarter-final against Nigeria, Essien became captain after John Mensah was sent off. Ghana won 2–1. Essien was chosen as an All-Star Player for the tournament.

During a match against Libya on 5 September 2008, Essien injured his knee. He was out for six months. He missed most of the 2008–09 season. He still played in 10 of Ghana's 11 World Cup qualification matches. Ghana finished first in their group and qualified for the 2010 World Cup. However, on 27 May 2010, it was announced that Essien would miss the World Cup. His knee injury would not fully heal until after the tournament. Essien later said he would take a break from the Ghana national team. This was to focus on his Chelsea career, as he had suffered two big injuries playing for Ghana.

Essien returned to Ghana's squad in August 2013 for the 2014 World Cup qualifiers. He came on as a substitute in a 2–1 win over Zambia. This helped Ghana qualify for the final round. He played in both play-off matches against Egypt. He was also named in Ghana's squad for the tournament finals. He played one game, coming on as a substitute in the opening 2–1 loss to the United States.

In July 2018, Essien announced he was retiring from international football. He had played for Ghana for over 12 years. He said he had actually retired before the 2014 FIFA World Cup. But he was asked by the coach to come back and help the team.

Coaching Career

Nordsjælland Assistant Coach

On 19 August 2020, it was announced that Essien was training with the Danish club Nordsjælland. He also got the chance to work with the main team and the club's youth teams. This helped him learn more about coaching. Nordsjælland works with the Right to Dream Academy in Ghana.

On 9 September 2020, the club confirmed that Essien had joined their coaching team for the 2020–21 season. In June 2025, he signed a new two-year contract to stay as an assistant coach at the club.

Playing Style

Essien was a very strong midfielder. He often played in the center of the midfield. He was known as a box-to-box midfielder. This means he had a lot of energy to help both in attack and defense. He was also known for his powerful tackles. This earned him the nickname "The Bison." Essien could also play as a defender. He could play on the right side or in the center of defense. Besides his hard work and physical strength, Essien also had good technique and vision. He was smart about tactics and showed leadership. He could also shoot the ball powerfully from far away.

Honours and Awards

Lyon

• Ligue 1: 2003–04, 2004–05
• Trophée des Champions: 2003, 2004

Chelsea

• Premier League: 2005–06, 2009–10
• FA Cup: 2006–07, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2011–12
• Football League Cup: 2006–07; runner-up: 2007–08
• FA Community Shield: 2009
• UEFA Champions League: 2011–12; runner-up: 2007–08

Ghana

• Africa Cup of Nations runner-up: 2010; third place: 2008
• FIFA U-17 World Cup runner-up: 1999
• FIFA U-20 World Cup runner-up: 2001

Individual Awards

• Ligue 1 Player of the Month: October 2004
• Ligue 1 Player of the Year: 2004–05
• Ligue 1 Team of the Year: 2002–03, 2004–05
• CAF Team of the Year: 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009
• BBC African Footballer of the Year: 2006
• Ghana Player of the Year: 2007
• Chelsea Player of the Year: 2007
• Chelsea Goal of the Year: 2006–07 vs Arsenal, 2008–09 vs Barcelona
• 2008 Africa Cup of Nations: Team of the Tournament

See also

In Spanish: Michael Essien para niños