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 at one point just to fend for himself before breaking through as a professional footballer despite family opposition
- The former Accra Great Olympics player left Ghana for FC Basel and now plays for German Bundesliga club VfL Wolfsburg
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Jonas Adjetey is a member of the Ghana Black Stars squad for the 2026 World Cup, playing as a centre-back (CB) for the national football team.
He also operates as a central defender 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.
He plays professionally for German Bundesliga club VfL Wolfsburg after transferring from FC Basel. Before that, he played for Accra Great Olympics.
From painter to footballer
Jonas Adjetey was raised in Teshie in the Greater Accra region. He lived with his parents and sister. He fell in love with football at an early age.
Even though his father supported his football dream, his mother did not. Jonas 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, Jonas Adjetey's father passed away in a tragic car accident. This shattered Jonas and his dreams since he could no longer afford football boots.
According to @Sports_Doctor2 on X, Jonas Adjetey did not give up. He worked 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.
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 Jonas Adjetey and were impressed. After signing Emmanuel Essiam in January 2022, they returned for Jonas, offering him a trial.
Jonas 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 about Benjamin Asare's historic performance 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, an achievement that has captivated football fans worldwide.
Source: YEN.com.gh
