Jonas Adjetey: Black Stars Player Who Worked as a Painter and Didn’t Have Money for Boots
- Jonas Adjetey, a member of the Ghana Black Stars squad, overcame several adversities to become a top player for his country
- The centre-back worked as a painter to fend for himself before breaking through as a professional footballer despite family opposition
- The former Accra Great Olympics player left the homeland for FC Basel and now plays for German Bundesliga club VfL Wolfsburg
Ghana’s top stories, now easier to find. Discover our new search feature!
Jonas Adjetey is a member of Ghana's squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, playing as a centre-back (CB) for the national football team.
He also operates as a central defender for the Black Stars and is highly capable of filling in as a full-back on either side of the defensive line.
Source: UGC
However, Jonas Adjetey, who has been a great player in the first two matches in the group stage, did not have an easy journey to becoming a professional footballer.
Domestically, he plays for German Bundesliga club VfL Wolfsburg after transferring from FC Basel, and before that, he played for Accra Great Olympics in Ghana.
Jonas Adjetey: From painter to footballer
Jonas Adjetey was raised in Teshie in the Greater Accra region, living with his parents and sister and falling in love with football at an early age.
Even though his father supported his football dream, his mother did not.
Adjetey's mother was a gifted track and field athlete in her youth, but without proper support, she never reached her potential.
She feared her son might face a similar fate, hence her disapproval of his football dream.
Unfortunately, Adjetey's father passed away in a tragic car accident, which shattered his son's dreams and left the family unable to buy him boots.
According to @Sports_Doctor2 on X, the youngster did not give up, working as a painter at construction sites so he could fund his football dream.
However, his mother remained firmly opposed to his football dream.
Out of respect for her, he stepped away from the game entirely for six months when he was 15 and chose to focus on his studies.
How Joseph Adjetey became a professional footballer
One day, he joined his friends for a casual match and was spotted by scouts from Accra Great Olympics, who offered him a contract and persuaded his mother to give his dream a chance.
In November 2021, a delegation led by Basel president David Degen travelled to Ghana specifically to scout Emmanuel Essiam.
When they arrived, they saw Adjetey and were impressed, and after signing Emmanuel Essiam in January 2022, they returned to offer the defender a trial.
Adjetey excelled for FC Basel’s U21 side before stepping up to the first team and quickly became a regular.
The defender's consistent good play in the Swiss Super League caught the eye of national selectors, earning him a call-up to Ghana’s senior squad in September 2025 for World Cup qualifiers.
Jonas Adjetey is playing at the 2026 World Cup as part of a defence that has kept two clean sheets from two matches.
Source: Getty Images
Asare wears different shirt from his teammates
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported on Benjamin Asare's historic performance for the Black Stars during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where he wore a different shirt from his teammates against England.
His clean sheet not only marked his debut but also made him the first domestic-based player to start a World Cup match for Ghana, although his kit has garnered as much attention online.
Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
