Quincy Owusu-Abeyie: Arsenal Wonderkid, Ghana Star, and His Music Reinvention, video
- Quincy Owusu-Abeyie’s career became a whirlwind of dazzling promise, missed chances, and unexpected reinvention
- From the bright lights of the Emirates to the global stage with Ghana’s Black Stars, his journey was anything but ordinary
- The former wonderkid is remembered for his explosive pace on the wing and for his dramatic transformation into a rapper
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The Black Stars have seen many wonderkids emerge with dazzling potential, but few have had a story as dramatic and unpredictable as Quincy Owusu-Abeyie.
Once tipped for superstardom at Arsenal, the Dutch-born Ghanaian winger’s career became a tale of promise, turbulence, and reinvention.
Source: Getty Images
Today, he is as well-known for his music as he once was for his lightning pace on the pitch, down the right wing.
Quincy Owusu-Abeyie: From Ajax to Arsenal
Born in Amsterdam in April 1986 to Ghanaian parents, Quincy was raised in the famed Ajax academy. But despite his talent, his time there ended abruptly, reportedly due to “attitude issues.”
According to This is London, his next stop would be England, where Arsène Wenger’s Arsenal offered him a lifeline in 2002.
Quincy’s pace and flair caught the eye immediately. He made his senior debut for the Gunners in 2003 in the League Cup, and many believed he could be the next big attacking sensation.
Yet, with Arsenal’s frontline stacked with the likes of Thierry Henry and Robin van Persie, opportunities dried up. The arrival of Theo Walcott and Emmanuel Adebayor further pushed him down the pecking order.
In 2006, Quincy, who is now a musician, left Arsenal for Spartak Moscow, beginning what would become a journeyman career.
Later, he took his footballing odyssey across multiple countries and continents, including stints at Al-Sadd (Qatar), Málaga (Spain), Panathinaikos (Greece), Boavista (Portugal), and finally NEC Nijmegen (Netherlands).
According to Transfermarkt stats, by the end of his career, Quincy had racked up about 171 professional league appearances, scoring 16 goals — modest numbers for a player once compared to Europe’s finest prospects.
Source: Getty Images
Quincy Owusu-Abeyie's Ghana Black Stars career
Internationally, Quincy represented the Netherlands at the youth level, including the U-21s. However, in 2007, he made the bold decision to switch allegiance to Ghana, the country of his parents' origin.
He became a Black Star in time for the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations, playing a key role as Ghana finished third on home soil.
Two years later, he was part of Ghana’s historic 2010 FIFA World Cup squad, which reached the quarter-finals and came within a penalty kick of becoming the first African team to reach the semis.
In all, the former Arsenal and Ajax player earned 17 caps and scored 2 goals for the Ghana national football team.
Watch a clip of Quincy's goals and skills below:
Owusu-Abeyie's shift from football to music
After parting ways with NEC Nijmegen in 2017, Quincy walked away from professional football. Like Asamoah Gyan during his playing days, he found reinvention in music, seamlessly blending the worlds of football and entertainment.
Under the stage name “Blow,” he embraced rap, dropping tracks and mixtapes that reflected his gritty life journey.
Football’s loss became music’s gain, and Quincy embraced this creative outlet with the same intensity he once showed sprinting down the wing.
In 2020, after a three-year absence, Quincy surprised many by lacing up his boots again with SV Robinhood Amsterdam, a Dutch amateur side.
At 39, that short spell signalled the end of his club career. Though his time with the national team was brief, Owusu-Abeyie remains fondly remembered by many Ghanaians for his dazzling skills and musical talent.
Stephen Manu says Quincy underachieved for Ghana
Meanwhile, speaking to YEN.com.gh, former Asante Kotoko striker Stephen Manu has weighed in on Quincy Owusu-Abeyie’s time with the Black Stars, reflecting on the winger’s immense talent and how his international career could have unfolded differently.
"Quincy had rare talent; with more consistency, he could have achieved far greater success for Ghana," Stephen said.
Watch a video of Quincy freestyling below:
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Asamoah Gyan shows joy singing gospel music
YEN.com.gh earlier reported on Asamoah Gyan’s musical side when the legendary striker was captured joyfully singing gospel music in his car.
On that day, Gyan appeared visibly excited, showing yet another facet of his vibrant personality.
Proofreading by Omoleye Omoruyi, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
