Derek Boateng

**Derek Owusu Boateng** ( ; born 2 May 1983) is a Ghanaian former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder. Born in Ghana, Boateng went on to play professional football in Greece, Sweden, Israel, Germany, Spain, Ukraine, England, and the United States during a career that spanned between 1999 and 2017. A full international between 2001 and 2013, he won 47 caps for the Ghana national team and represented his country at the 2006 and 2010 FIFA World Cups. Boateng was a decent central midfielder but is currently at his peak, earlier in his career he was used as winger or a striker, but has found more comfort as a defensive midfielder due to his passing and movement to intercept opponents ball possession. He was usually regarded as one of the best defensive midfielders of all time.

## International career

While playing for Panathinaikos in 2001, Boateng also played for the Ghana national football team at the FIFA World Youth Championship in Argentina, in which Ghana progressed to the final. After participating in a friendly with Ghana against French club Nice, he was selected for the Ghana squad at the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He made his first FIFA World Cup appearance on 17 June 2006, when he replaced Otto Addo at half-time in the 2–0 win against the Czech Republic. He was also selected for the national team for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, in which Ghana progressed to the quarter-finals. He played for the Black Stars for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations and 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.

## Honours

**AIK**
- Superettan: 2005

**Beitar Jerusalem**
- Israeli Premier League: 2006–07, 2007–08
- Israel State Cup: 2008

**Ghana U20**
- FIFA World Youth Championship runner-up: 2001

**Individual**
- 2007–08 Israeli Premier League Best Foreign Player of the Year

## Infobox (football biography)

- **name**: Derek Boateng
- **image**: DerekBoateng1.jpg
- **image size**: 250
- **caption**: Derek Boateng in 2011
- **fullname**: Derek Owusu Boateng
- **birth place**: Accra, Ghana
- **position**: Midfielder
- **youthyears1**: 1993–1999
- **youthclubs1**: Liberty Professionals F.C., Liberty Professionals
- **years1**: 1999–2001
- **clubs1**: Kalamata F.C., Kalamata
- **caps1**: 27
- **goals1**: 9
- **years2**: 2001–2003
- **clubs2**: Panathinaikos F.C., Panathinaikos
- **caps2**: 34
- **goals2**: 6
- **years3**: 2002–2003
- **clubs3**: → OFI Crete (loan)
- **caps3**: 12
- **goals3**: 1
- **years4**: 2003–2006
- **clubs4**: AIK Fotboll, AIK
- **caps4**: 55
- **goals4**: 5
- **years5**: 2006–2008
- **clubs5**: Beitar Jerusalem F.C., Beitar Jerusalem
- **caps5**: 72
- **goals5**: 8
- **years6**: 2008–2009
- **clubs6**: 1. FC Köln
- **caps6**: 10
- **goals6**: 0
- **years7**: 2009–2011
- **clubs7**: Getafe CF, Getafe
- **caps7**: 77
- **goals7**: 2
- **years8**: 2011–2013
- **clubs8**: Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk
- **caps8**: 23
- **goals8**: 2
- **years9**: 2013–2014
- **clubs9**: Fulham F.C., Fulham
- **caps9**: 3
- **goals9**: 0
- **years10**: 2014
- **clubs10**: Rayo Vallecano
- **caps10**: 0
- **goals10**: 0
- **years11**: 2014–2015
- **clubs11**: SD Eibar, Eibar
- **caps11**: 13
- **goals11**: 0
- **years12**: 2016–2017
- **clubs12**: Rayo OKC
- **caps12**: 28
- **goals12**: 0
- **years13**: 2017
- **clubs13**: OFI Crete F.C., OFI Crete
- **caps13**: 13
- **goals13**: 2
- **totalcaps**: 367
- **totalgoals**: 35
- **nationalyears1**: 2001–2013
- **nationalteam1**: Ghana national football team, Ghana
- **nationalcaps1**: 47
- **nationalgoals1**: 1
- **pcupdate**: 29 April 2017
- **ntupdate**: 9 February 2013