Ghanaian footballers choose Rwanda than Europe

Ghana (Commonwealth) _ Ghanaian players used to admire European clubs because of the track records of Abedi Pele, Michael Essien, Anthony Yeboah, Sammy Kuffour, and Sulley Muntari, among others, but the trend and dynamics have shifted as a slew of quality players from the same nation are flocking to Rwanda.

Prosper Donkor launched the Ghanaian player exodus to Rwanda on August 5, 2018. Michael Sarpong and Olokwei Commodore both joined in October 2018 and June 2019, respectively. The group appeared for Rayon Sports.

Sarpong, in particular, was a treat to watch, scoring 16 league goals to lead Rayon to victory in 2018/2019. His production opened the way for Abdul Muniru, who had little influence, and Sulley Sadick, who went on to thrive at Espoir FC and Bugesera FC.

Previously, from 2012 and 2016, Ghanaian players lined up to play in Ethiopia. Ghana had the largest amount of foreign players in their league at the time, making it difficult for native players to find playing time.

Today, there is a new trend. Ghanaian footballers are flocking to Rwanda’s league in search of better opportunities. When it comes to talent, few, if any, West African countries can compete with Ghana. There are many exceptional players whose standards may not be high enough to play in Europe, yet nations such as Rwanda provide them with an excellent foundation for success.

Ghana currently has the most foreign players in the Primus National League, trailing just Burundi and Uganda.

There are up to 12 Ghanaians that have been qualified to participate in the 2024/25 Premier League season. The figure might potentially rise as other players are still on trial at various clubs throughout the preseason.

Mukura features four Ghanaian players: Samuel Pimpong, Abdul Jalilu, Vincent Adams, and Agyenim Boateng Mensah. Richmond Lamptey and Seidu Yussif play for APR, Peter Agblevor and Issah Yakubu for Police, and Joseph Sackey and Mohammed Aminu for Muhazi United. Sulley Mohammed plays for Musanze FC, and Rayon Sports has James Akaminko, among other players.

What makes Rwanda such a profitable market for Ghanaian footballers?

Well, the ambition of all Ghanaian players that play locally is to travel and play overseas. They grasp any chance that comes their way. Football in West Africa, particularly Ghana and Nigeria, does not pay well despite generating outstanding players.

Rwandan clubs pay more on average than Ghanaian clubs. With the exception of the large teams who pay well, such as Kumasi Asante Kotoko, Accra Hearts of Oak, and a few others, other clubs continue to struggle financially.

A tiny team in Ghana may offer monthly wages as low as 1000 cedis, which corresponds to roughly Rwf 90,000, but a small club in Rwanda can afford to give a minimum salary of Rwf 300,000, which even sounds enough to entice a motivated, skilled player from abroad.

Again, unlike Ghana, where talent is abundant, Rwanda has a paucity of football skill, which allows international players to play in the country.

In Ghana, if you reject down the opportunity to play for a low wage, another player who is equally excellent or better than you will be waiting to grab the money. This leads club officials to believe that by paying such a low compensation, they are actually doing players a favor.

To solve the issue, the Ghana Football Association is developing plans to implement a uniform minimum compensation structure that all clubs must follow in the future.

Again, playing overseas, which some players are more proud of, adds value to their careers and earns them the necessary respect when they go out. This is, in fact, common in most West African countries.

This summer window, APR led the pace by signing two of the greatest players in Ghana Premier League: Kumasi Asante Kotoko captain Richmond Lamptey and Samartex’s Dauda Yussif Seidu. Asante Kingdom Otumfour Osei Tutu owns Kotoko, a royal club. They pay players quite well, and the standard is high.

The inflow of Ghanaian players, and West African players in general, has probably helped local Rwandan players enhance their performance.

Competing with talented international players has helped them develop and improve their performance at both the club and national team levels.