Mohammed Polo

Mohammed Polo
Personal information
Full name Alhaji Mohammed Ahmed
Date of birth (1956-11-11) 11 November 1956 (age 68)
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

Club career

Early beginnings in the 70s

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  1. ^ Association, Ghana Football. "Preview: "Dribbling Magician" arrives as League re". www.ghanafa.org. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  2. ^ "Ghana FA boss Kurt Okraku eulogizes legend Mohammed Polo at book launch". ghanasoccernet.com. 17 July 2022. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ "I made Saudi league popular before Ronaldo arrived – Mohammed Polo". GhanaWeb. 9 August 2023. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  6. ^ "Mohammed Polo, Biography". www.ghanaweb.com. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  7. ^ "African Nations Cup 1978". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  8. ^ "Confirmed! Mohammed Polo is new Hearts Coach - MyJoyOnline.com". www.myjoyonline.com. 25 November 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  9. ^ "Hearts of Oak parts ways with coach Polo". Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always. 25 June 2014. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  10. ^ Ghana News Agency (19 January 2004). "Olympics name new technical team". Modern Ghana. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  11. ^ "Improving Ghana's football infrastructure for CAN 2008". Panapress. 29 May 2006. Archived from the original on 6 April 2008. Retrieved 8 April 2008.
  12. ^ Samuel Ekow Amoasi Appiah. "I Am Ghana's All Time Greatest Player - Mohammed Polo". modernghana.com. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  13. ^ "I'm Ghana's G.O.A.T - Mohammed Polo - GhanaWeb". www.ghanaweb.com. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  14. ^ "Pele recognizing me as his idol means I am the best ever - Max". max.com.gh.
  15. ^ "A Plus, Kwabena Agyapong and two others who believe Polo is Ghana's GOAT". ghanaweb.com.
  16. ^ "Abedi Pele 3rd on Kwabena Agyapong's list of Ghana's greatest ever player". pulse.com.
  17. ^ "Mohammed Polo was better than Lionel Messi – A Plus - Pulse Ghana". pulse.com. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
  18. ^ "The Club:Personal Awards". Official website. Accra Hearts Of Oak Sporting Club. Archived from the original on 6 June 2007. Retrieved 8 April 2007.
  19. ^ Pierrend, José Luis (14 February 2000). "African Player of the Year 1977". Football statistics website. Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 8 April 2007.
  20. ^ "African Player of the Year 1977". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  21. ^ "Soccer News of Friday, 6 January 2006". Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 8 April 2007.
  22. ^ Kumi, Sylvanus (20 January 2006). "Mohammed Polo And Abedi Pele Commended". New Times Corporation. Retrieved 8 April 2007.
  23. ^ "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]