_(cropped).jpg) Essien in 2018 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Michael Kojo Essien[1] | |||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 3 December 1982[2] | |||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Accra, Ghana | |||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[3] | |||||||||||||||||||
| 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
| ||||||||||||||||||||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||||||
Michael Kojo Essien (born 3 December 1982) is a Ghanaian former professional footballer who played as a midfielder and is currently a member of Danish Superliga club Nordsjælland's coaching staff. He also played for the Ghana national team, earning more than 50 caps. During his prime, Essien was considered one of the best midfielders in the world. Essien was known not only for his defensive ability, but also his knack for scoring long-range goals.[4]
Essien started his career, playing for Liberty Professionals in Ghana. In 2000, he moved to France to join Bastia, where he would spend three seasons and appear in over 60 matches before joining Ligue 1 title holders Lyon in 2003. At Lyon, Essien won back-to-back league titles in 2003–04 and 2004–05, and won Ligue 1 Player of the Year in 2005. The same year, Essien signed with Premier League side Chelsea for a £24.4 million transfer fee. The fee made him the most expensive African footballer at that time.[5] At Chelsea, Essien helped the club win the Premier League in 2006 and 2010, as well as three FA Cups and one League Cup. He won the UEFA Champions League in 2011–12,[6] while also placing as runner-up in the 2007–08 UEFA Champions League. He has won the Chelsea Goal of the Season award twice, in the 2006–07 and 2008–09 seasons.
Essien is a former Ghanaian international. At youth level, he represented his country at the 1999 FIFA U-17 World Championship and 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship, with the latter team finishing as runner-up. Essien made his senior team debut in January 2002 and has represented his nation at three Africa Cup of Nations tournaments. Essien has also represented Ghana at the 2006 and 2014 FIFA World Cups.
- ^ Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2010). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2010–11. Edinburgh: Mainstream Publishing. p. 142. ISBN 978-1-84596-601-0.
- ^ "Michael Essien". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
- ^ "Michael Essien". Panathinaikos F.C. Archived from the original on 9 July 2016.
- ^ Thomas, Blake. "Ranking the Top 10 Midfielders in World Football: Xavi, Iniesta, Sneijder..." Bleacher Report. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
- ^ Vickers, Steve (2007). "Michael Essien". BBC World Service. British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 24 May 2009.
- ^ "Michael Essien makes Chelsea title prediction under Thomas Tuchel". Citi Sports Online. 17 May 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2021.