Richard Kingson: Wife Stopped Me From Taking $300,000 to Concede at 2006 World Cup

• Richard Kingson disclosed how his wife rescued him from accepting a $300,000 bribe to 'fix' a game involving Ghana
• Affectionately called Olele, Kingson was told to concede two goals against the Czech Republic at the 2006 World Cup
• The Black Stars would have crashed out of the global tournament at the group stages if he had accepted the bribe

Former Ghanaian goalkeeper Richard Kingson once opened up on how his wife stopped him from taking a $300,000 bribe to concede at the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

In a moment of rare honesty, Kingson shared a deeply personal story that could have changed the course of Ghana's World Cup history.

The Black Stars were preparing to face the Czech Republic in their second group-stage match at the FIFA World Cup in Germany; that's when he was approached.

The Black Stars lost their opening game, 2-0, to Italy, which put them in a tight spot.

The Czech side, ranked second in the world at the time, had crushed the United States 3-0 and came into the clash with confidence and momentum.

Richard Kingson reveals how he was tempted by $300k bribe

Kingson, Ghana's trusted figure between the posts, suddenly found himself facing a different kind of pressure.

Speaking in 2012 on Emmanuel TV, the official station of the Synagogue Church of All Nations, Kingson revealed he had been approached by some individuals with an offer that would test any man’s values.

The proposal was straightforward but unsettling: concede two goals and walk away with $300,000.

“In 2006 World Cup in Germany, we were about to play against Czech Republic. Then, they were the second best in the world and we had lost a game already,” Kingson recalled, as noted by Daily Mail.

“A Ghanaian led me to some people to take a bribe. It was this woman who delivered me and Ghana from it. The money was US$ 300,000.”

How Kingson's wife helped him reject $300,000 bribe

The retired goalkeeper admitted he was torn.

With Ghana only set to earn around $8,000 to $10,000 per player if they won, the offer was staggering by comparison.

“I was very confused. I did not know what to do. Very luckily, she was there with me in a different hotel. So I called this woman and said, ‘My wife, this is what has happened. I don’t know what to do. What do I do?’”

“Before the game, I called my wife and she said ‘Richard, I don’t love you because of your money or properties; I just love you as a human being.’

"I was everywhere in the post. I was playing like I had been injected with the blood of Jesus.”

How did Kingson perform against the Czech Republic?

Kingson went on to produce one of his finest performances in a Black Stars jersey as Ghana stunned the Czech Republic 2-0, keeping their World Cup dream alive.

His saves that day didn’t just protect the goal, they preserved the soul of the team.

Ghana would go on to beat the United States in their final group game, securing a historic qualification to the Round of 16, where they eventually lost 3-0 to Brazil, per the BBC.

Aftermath of Kingson's revelation

Richard Kingson's 2012 revelation of rejecting a $300,000 bribe offer during the 2006 World Cup did not lead to any official investigations or sanctions from FIFA or the Ghana Football Association.

It also didn't affect his career as he continued to represent Ghana and played for various clubs, including Birmingham City and Wigan Athletic in the English Premier League

Consequently, his career remained largely unaffected, and he continued to be respected in Ghanaian football circles.

Why Kingson chose NDC over NPP

In a separate report, YEN.com.gh highlighted Richard Kingson's decision to back the NDC's Benjamin Ayiku over the NPP's Bernard Okoe-Boye in the 2024 parliamentary elections for Ledzokuku.

The former Black Stars goalkeeper explained that Ayiku has delivered more impactful results compared to his predecessor, swaying his political support.

Nomso Obiajuru was a contributing writer in this article

Source: YEN.com.gh