Mohammed Polo
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alhaji Mohammed Ahmed | ||
| Date of birth | 11 November 1956 | ||
| Place of birth | Accra, Ghana | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1972–1973 | Auroras FC | ||
| 1973–1979 | Hearts of Oak | 232 | (145) |
| 1979–1984 | Al-Wasl | ||
| 1985–1987 | Hearts of Oak | ||
| 1987–1988 | FC 105 Libreville | ||
| 1988–1989 | Shell FC | ||
| 1989–1992 | Hearts of Oak | ||
| 1992–1994 | Great Olympics | ||
| International career | |||
| 1973–1985 | Ghana | 54 | (20) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1994–1995 | Hearts of Oak | ||
| 2003 | Stade Malien | ||
| 2004 | Great Olympics | ||
| 2013–2014 | Hearts of Oak | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Alhaji Mohammed Ahmed (born 11 November 1956), popularly known as Mohammed Polo and the "Dribbling Magician",[1] is a former Ghanaian international and local club football player. He is considered one of the best dribblers and Ghanaian player of his generation.
He spent years of his soccer career playing as a left winger for Hearts of Oak in the Ghana Premier League in the 1970s and 1980s, and was also a key player in the Ghana squad that won the 1978 African Cup of Nations held in Ghana.[2][3]
Playing career
[edit]Club career
[edit]Early beginnings in the 70s
[edit]Polo played football with teams in Accra such as Auroras, Accra Great Olympics and for Hearts of Oak, where along with Mama Acquah, Anas Seidu, Peter Lamptey and Robert Hammond were known as the “Fearsome Five”.[3]
Late 70s and 80s at Al Wasl
[edit]From 1979 to 1984, Mohammad Polo played for the famous Dubai club, Al Wasl, where he was popular with the fans.[4][5]
Later career
[edit]In 1985 Polo returned to the league of Ghana for Hearts of Oak where he stayed for 2 seasons. He returned to Hearts of Oak in 1989 for another 3-year spell with the club. In 1992 he signed again for Accra Great Olympics ending his career in 1994, aged 38, to move into coaching.
International career
[edit]He was first called-up to play for the Black Stars at age 17.[6] In the 1978 African Cup of Nations where Ghana won its third AFCON title, Polo scored a goal and was listed as a forward in the CAF Team of the Tournament along 3 other Ghanaian players.[7]
He played 54 times scoring 20 goals for Ghana national team from 1973 until 1985.
Post-playing career
[edit]He was appointed head coach of Ghana Premier League club Accra Hearts of Oak in 1994 and then in 2013 for seven months.[8][9] In 2004, Polo was appointed the technical head of the Ghanaian football club Accra Great Olympics.[10] Mohammed Polo owns the soccer academy Golden Stars Academy,[11] which trained at Legon, however has now been renamed Polo Soccer Academy. [citation needed]
Legacy
[edit]In 2020, as a speculation regarding Ghana's greatest player of all time had emerged, Polo claimed to be Ghana's best footballer ever[12][13] following a statement by Osei Kofi who said the same about himself. Polo's statement was also back by Abedi Pele,[14] Kwabena Yeboah and Kwabena Agyapong.[15][16] On 9 September 2021, Ghanaian-born singer and political activist Kwame Asare Obeng (aka A Plus) stated that Polo is the third greatest player in history, only behind Pelé and Diego Maradona praising his dribbling abilities.[17]
Honours
[edit]Polo has won the following honours[18][19][20][21][22][23]
| Award by | Honour |
|---|---|
| 1978 African Cup of Nations | Champions |
| 1978 African Cup of Nations | Team of the tournament |
| Ghana Football Association (1975) | Footballer of the year |
| France Football Magazine – African Player of the Year (1977) | 4th place |
| UAE League 1981–82, 1982–83 | Champions |
| Coca-Cola Award on Breaking Barriers (2006) | Awarded |
Notes and references
[edit]- ^ Association, Ghana Football. "Preview: "Dribbling Magician" arrives as League re". www.ghanafa.org. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
- ^ "Ghana FA boss Kurt Okraku eulogizes legend Mohammed Polo at book launch". ghanasoccernet.com. 17 July 2022. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
- ^ a b Martins, Rafael (7 December 2006). "Hearts of Oak: O outono da árvore de Accra" (in Portuguese). Trivela.com. Archived from the original on 2 January 2007. Retrieved 8 April 2007.
- ^ Mumuni, Lukman (10 August 2023). ""Arabs Worshipped Me": Mohammed Polo Claims He is More Popular Than Ronaldo in Arab Football". SportsBrief - Sport news. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
- ^ "I made Saudi league popular before Ronaldo arrived – Mohammed Polo". GhanaWeb. 9 August 2023. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
- ^ "Mohammed Polo, Biography". www.ghanaweb.com. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
- ^ "African Nations Cup 1978". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
- ^ "Confirmed! Mohammed Polo is new Hearts Coach - MyJoyOnline.com". www.myjoyonline.com. 25 November 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
- ^ "Hearts of Oak parts ways with coach Polo". Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always. 25 June 2014. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
- ^ Ghana News Agency (19 January 2004). "Olympics name new technical team". Modern Ghana. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
- ^ "Improving Ghana's football infrastructure for CAN 2008". Panapress. 29 May 2006. Archived from the original on 6 April 2008. Retrieved 8 April 2008.
- ^ Samuel Ekow Amoasi Appiah. "I Am Ghana's All Time Greatest Player - Mohammed Polo". modernghana.com. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
- ^ "I'm Ghana's G.O.A.T - Mohammed Polo - GhanaWeb". www.ghanaweb.com. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
- ^ "Pele recognizing me as his idol means I am the best ever - Max". max.com.gh.
- ^ "A Plus, Kwabena Agyapong and two others who believe Polo is Ghana's GOAT". ghanaweb.com.
- ^ "Abedi Pele 3rd on Kwabena Agyapong's list of Ghana's greatest ever player". pulse.com.
- ^ "Mohammed Polo was better than Lionel Messi – A Plus - Pulse Ghana". pulse.com. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
- ^ "The Club:Personal Awards". Official website. Accra Hearts Of Oak Sporting Club. Archived from the original on 6 June 2007. Retrieved 8 April 2007.
- ^ Pierrend, José Luis (14 February 2000). "African Player of the Year 1977". Football statistics website. Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 8 April 2007.
- ^ "African Player of the Year 1977". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
- ^ "Soccer News of Friday, 6 January 2006". Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 8 April 2007.
- ^ Kumi, Sylvanus (20 January 2006). "Mohammed Polo And Abedi Pele Commended". New Times Corporation. Retrieved 8 April 2007.
- ^ "The World Cup Is Coming To Ghana - Kufuor". Official website. Ghana government. Retrieved 8 April 2007.
A special award dubbed: "Break Down Barriers" was presented to Ghana's great soccer, the dibbling magician, Mohammed Ahmed Polo for using football to unite the people of Dagbon during the Northern conflict. One of his high points was when he organised a special football friendly match in the heat of the conflict between the Nanumbas and the Kokombas to ease the tension.
[dead link]
External links
[edit]- Mohammed Ahmed – FIFA competition record (archived)
- Mohammed Ahmed Polo Biography
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- Living people
- 1956 births
- Accra Hearts of Oak S.C. players
- Ghana men's international footballers
- Ghanaian men's footballers
- Ghanaian expatriate men's footballers
- Al Wasl F.C. players
- Sekondi Hasaacas F.C. players
- 1978 African Cup of Nations players
- 1984 African Cup of Nations players
- Africa Cup of Nations–winning players
- UAE Pro League players
- Men's association football midfielders
- Accra Hearts of Oak S.C. managers
- Ghanaian football managers
- Expatriate men's footballers in the United Arab Emirates
- Ghanaian expatriate sportspeople in the United Arab Emirates
- 20th-century Ghanaian sportsmen