Christian Atsu was once hailed as a huge prospect who would go on to become a world-class athlete and one of Ghana’s greatest-ever football products, but he was unable to have the illustrious career that many had hoped for.
In his 12-year professional career, he represented ten different clubs in Europe, but only three trophies were awarded to him.
He made his Black Stars debut in June 2012 at the age of 20, and most Ghanaians were amazed by his left foot.
Atsu delighted the Baba Yara Stadium crowd with some quick dribbles before capping the evening with his first goal in a 7-0 victory. As soon as he made his debut, he was given the moniker “Ghana Messi.”
He had a high ceiling but never reached his full potential, which could have seen him play for top clubs and win more titles.
Atsu only played for notable teams but not many potential trophy-winning teams.
Christian Atsu joined FC Porto’s youth team in 2011 after playing for Ghana’s Cheetah Academy. He later got promoted and lasted for two seasons before landing his breakthrough move to Chelsea in 2013.
He signed a five-year contract with Chelsea but spent almost the entire time on loan at other clubs. He was loaned to Vitesse, Malaga, Bournemouth, Everton, and Newcastle United.
Newcastle secured the Ghanaian on a permanent deal in 2017 for £6.2 million from Chelsea. He spent four years at the club before joining Al-Raed as a free agent in 2021 and then to Hatayspor in 2022.
Throughout his club football career, he only won titles with Porto and Newcastle United.
In his international career, he scored 10 goals in 60 appearances. He came close to ending Ghana’s long trophy drought in 2015. Atsu was the Black Stars’ standout performer at the 2015 AFCON, where Ghana finished second runners-up.
Atsu was the best player of the tournament and won the best goal of the tournament.
Here are Christian Atsu’s hounours
Primeira Liga: 2012–13
Supertaca Candido de Oliveira: 2012
EFL Championship: 2016–17
Africa Cup of Nations runner-up:2015
Individual
Vitesse Player of the Year: 2013–14
Africa Cup of Nations Player of the Tournament: 2015
Africa Cup of Nations Team of the Tournament: 2015, 2017
Africa Cup of Nations Goal of the Tournament: 2015