Meet CK Gyamfi, the first Ghanaian professional footballer to play in Germany

Charles Kumi Gyamfi is the only Ghanaian to have won the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) three times and it does not look like our generation will see another Ghanaian equal that feat.

What most people do not know about CK Gyamfi is that he was one of the first Ghanaians, after independence, to play professionally in Europe.

In 1960, Gyamfi signed to play for German side Fortuna Dusseldorf. Although the future Ghana coach spent just a year at the West Germany club, it made Gyamfi the first Ghanaian to play in Germany.

Gyamfi has been on record noting that his time in Germany was not easy, mainly due to issues of culture change, the climate and racism.

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Whatever his successes were, Gyamfi's exploits in Germany would make way for the likes Anthony Yeboah, Ibrahim Tanko and Abedi Pele, who would go on to excel in Germany.

Gyamfi would go on to win the AFCON in 1963, 1965 and 1982, making him the most successful coach in the competition's history until Egypt's Hassan Shehata equalled the feat in 2010.

Gyamfi was also the coach of the Ghana football team during their Olympic debut at the 1964 Summer Olympics. He returned to coach the Olympic team for the 1972 tournament.

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It is hard to imagine the story we would have been telling of Ghanaian football had it not been for CK Gyamfi.

Gyamfi died in 2015 but it is rare to have a man contribute so much in the history of a whole country's love affair with football.

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Source: YEN.com.gh