Sulley Muntari Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
Sulley Muntari

Muntari with Inter Milan in 2009

Personal information

Full name

Suleyman Ali Muntari

Date of birth

27 August 1984 (age 40)

Place of birth

Konongo, Ashanti, Ghana

Height

1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)

Position(s)

Midfielder

Youth career

2000–2001

Liberty Professionals

2001–2002

Udinese

Senior career*

Years

Team

Apps

(Gls)

2002–2007

Udinese

125

(8)

2007–2008

Portsmouth

(4)

2008–2012

Inter Milan

(7)

2011

→ Sunderland (loan)

(1)

2012

→ AC Milan (loan)

(3)

2012–2015

AC Milan

(8)

2015–2016

Al Ittihad

(2)

2017

Pescara

(1)

2018

Deportivo La Coruña

(0)

2019

Albacete

(0)

2022

Hearts of Oak

(1)

Total

347

(35)

International career

2001

Ghana U20

(0)

2002–2014

Ghana

(20)

Medal record

Men's football

Representing Ghana
Africa Cup of Nations
Third	2008 Ghana

*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20:00, 10 June 2022 (UTC)

Suleyman Ali "Sulley" Muntari (born 27 August 1984) is a retired professional football player from Ghana. He played as a midfielder, a position that requires both attacking and defending. He is best known for his time playing for top Italian clubs like Udinese, Inter Milan, and AC Milan.

Muntari was a talented player from a young age. He started his career in Ghana before moving to Italy to join Udinese. After five successful seasons there, he moved to England to play for Portsmouth. With Portsmouth, he won the famous FA Cup in 2008.

His great performances earned him a move to the giant Italian club, Inter Milan. There, he won the Champions League in 2010, which is the biggest prize in European club football. He also won the Italian league title, Serie A, twice with Inter.

Muntari was also a key player for his country. He played over 80 times for the Ghana national team, known as the Black Stars. He played in three FIFA World Cups and two Africa Cup of Nations tournaments.

Club Career
International Career
Style of Play
Personal Life
Honours
Images for kids
See also

Club Career

Starting in Italy and England

Muntari's talent was clear when he played for the Liberty Professionals youth team in Ghana. At just 16, he helped Ghana's under-20 team finish as runners-up in the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship. After the tournament, he joined the Italian club Udinese in 2001.

He spent his first year in the youth team before making his debut for the main team in 2002. He played for Udinese for five seasons, becoming an important player for the team.

In 2007, Muntari moved to the English Premier League to play for Portsmouth. He had a fantastic season there. He scored the winning penalty kick against Manchester United in the FA Cup. This helped Portsmouth reach the final, which they won against Cardiff City. After just one season in England, he was ready for his next big move.

Winning Big with Inter Milan

Muntari playing for Inter in 2009

In 2008, Muntari joined Inter Milan, one of the biggest clubs in the world. The manager, José Mourinho, personally called him and asked him to join the team. Muntari immediately said yes.

In his first season, he scored the winning goal against rivals Juventus and helped Inter win the Serie A league title.

The next season, 2009–10, was even better. Muntari was part of the team that won the "treble." This means they won three major trophies in one season: the Serie A title, the Coppa Italia (Italian Cup), and the UEFA Champions League. In the Champions League final, Inter beat Bayern Munich 2-0. Muntari became the fourth Ghanaian player ever to win this famous trophy.

Playing for AC Milan

Muntari (left) with AC Milan teammates El Shaarawy (center) and Traoré (far right) in 2012

After a loan spell at the English club Sunderland, Muntari moved to another famous Italian club, AC Milan, in 2012. He joined his new team on a loan at first and scored on his debut.

One famous moment happened in a match against Juventus. Muntari scored a clear goal with a header, but the referee did not see that the ball had crossed the line. The goal was not given, and the match ended in a 1-1 draw. Many people believe this moment helped Juventus win the league title that year instead of Milan.

He officially signed for Milan in the summer of 2012. During the 2012-13 season, he scored an important goal against Barcelona in the Champions League. He played for Milan until 2015, scoring several key goals for the team.

Later Career

After leaving Milan, Muntari played for several other clubs. He had a season in Saudi Arabia with Ittihad FC and then returned to Italy to play for Pescara. He also played in Spain for Deportivo de La Coruña and Albacete.

In 2022, after two years without a club, he returned to his home country of Ghana. He signed for Hearts of Oak, one of Ghana's biggest teams. He said he joined because his son wanted to see him play. He helped the team win two trophies: the President's Cup and the Ghanaian FA Cup. He retired from football in November 2022.

International Career

Muntari (centre) playing for Ghana against Lesotho in 2008

Muntari was a very important player for Ghana's national team, the Black Stars. He made his first appearance for the senior team in 2002.

He was selected for the 2006 World Cup in Germany. In a group stage match against the Czech Republic, he scored a goal in a 2-0 win. This was a historic victory for Ghana.

At the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations, which was held in Ghana, Muntari was one of the stars of the tournament. He scored three goals, including an amazing long-range shot against Guinea. He was named to the "Team of the Tournament" for his great performances.

He also played in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. In the quarter-final match against Uruguay, he scored a fantastic goal from about 40 yards away to give Ghana the lead. He also played in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Style of Play

Muntari playing for AC Milan in 2013

Muntari was a powerful and hard-working midfielder. He was known for his physical strength and for being a tough tackler who could win the ball back for his team.

While he was great at defending, he also had excellent technical skills. He had a very powerful shot with his left foot and could score amazing goals from long distances. He was a versatile player who could play in the center of the midfield or on the left side. His aggressive style sometimes led to him getting yellow or red cards.

Personal Life

Muntari's younger brother, Sulley Muniru, is also a professional football player. In 2010, Muntari married Ghanaian businesswoman Menaye Donkor. They have two children together, a son and a daughter. Muntari is a devout Muslim.