It’s a double celebration for Black Stars keeper, Lawrence Ati-Zigi, as he marks his birthday a day after Black Stars beat South Korea by three goals to two.
He was born on November 29, 1996.
Taking to twitter the Black Stars wished him a “good one.”
🎈Happy Birthday @ZigiLawrence 🧤Have a good one 👊🏾❤️#BlackStars | #TeamGhana pic.twitter.com/klRtOtvDq3
— 🇬🇭 Black Stars (@GhanaBlackstars) November 29, 2022
Lawrence Ati-Zigi’s is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for FC St. Gallen and the Ghana national team.
His performance in Ghana’s game against South Korea has been described by many as one of the best since the world cup began. He jealously defended the goal post of the Black Stars and pointed out many shots from their opponents, which otherwise would have been a goal.
In January 2015, Ati-Zigi joined FC Liefering from Ghanaian feeder club Red Bull Ghana. He made his league debut for Liefering on 17 April 2015, when his club beat TSV Hartberg 4–1 at Untersberg-Arena.
Also, on August 23, 2017, Ati-Zigi received his first call-up to the Ghana senior national team for the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification games against Congo on 1 and 5 September 2017.
On 7 June 2018, Ati-Zigi made his senior national team debut for Ghana, starting and playing 90 minutes in a friendly match against Iceland that ended in a 2–2 draw. He was also part of the Ghanaian team in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations that was eliminated at the group stage of the competition.
On 14 November 2022, Ati-Zigi was named in the 26-man squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Following injuries to Ghana’s first and second choice goalkeepers, Joe Wollocatt and Richard Ofori, with both missing out on the competition, he was set to be the first choice goalkeeper for the Black Stars. On 17 November, he manned the post for the Black Stars and kept a clean sheet in their 2–0 pre-world cup friendly match against Switzerland. This was his first start in over a year.
On 24 November 2022, he started in Ghana’s opening group match of World Cup against Portugal which ended in a 3–2 loss to Ghana. In the season group game against South Korea, Ati-Zigi played the full time of the match and made several crucial saves which secured Ghana’s first win at the 2022 World Cup by winning 3–2. His performance earned him positive reviews, ratings and commendations from football fans across the world.