Abedi Pele

**Abedi Ayew** (/əˈbeɪdi əˈjuː/ ə-BAY-dee ə-YOO; dem born am 5 November 1964), dem know am professionally as **Abedi Pele**, he be Ghanaian former professional footballer wey cam play as attacking midfielder wey he serve as captain give de Ghana national team. Dem dey regard am as one of de greatest African footballers of all time. He play give several European clubs wey he found ein fame insyd de French Ligue 1 plus Lille den Marseille, de latter be wer he go win de UEFA Champions League insyd 1993, among oda titles. He san be de first to win CAF award insyd 1992.

## Early life
Dem born Abedi Ayew into family insyd de town of Kibi wey he grow up insyd de town of Dome for de northern outskirts of de city Accra.

He attend Ghana Senior High School insyd Tamale. Dem give am de nickname "Pelé" secof ein ability insyd football, wey evoke comparisons to de late Brazilian athlete Pelé.

## Club career
He be one of de first African players wey go make impact for European club football. Abedi Pelé ein nomadic career start plus Real Tamale United insyd Ghana for 1978. He komot Ghana after de 1982 African Cup of Nations go join Al Sadd insyd Qatar for a $1,000 transfer fee. After short spell plus FC Zürich, he return to Ghana buh, after both Kotoko den Hearts of Oak fail to sign him, he go join AS Dragons FC de l'Ouémé insyd Benin. He later return cam Ghana den play give Real Tamale United for one season. He begin ein career insyd Europe plus French side Chamois Niort, wey subsequently he join Marseille before transferring to Lille on loan.

For club level, he be key figure insyd Marseille ein dominance for de French league, wey result insyd four league championships den two European Cup finals appearances. For Marseille, he be member of de team ein "Magical Trio" along plus Jean-Pierre Papin den Chris Waddle, wey dey spearhead perhaps Europe ein strongest league side of de early 1990s, wey dey include European Cup final defeat insyd 1991. Abedi be de member wey he per remain of de trio still plus de side wen Marseille defeat Milan insyd de 1993 Champions League final insyd Munich.

He later join Lyon after ein loan spell for Lille. He san play give Torino of Italy den round out ein European career plus 1860 Munich.

Abedi Pele go sign anoda two-year contract plus Al Ain insyd de United Arab Emirates wey dem nominate am as one of de best foreign players to play insyd de UAE league.

## International career
Abedi Pele play give Ghana 73 times. Na dem fixture am insyd de African Championships for 1980s den '90s plus ein national team, den member of Ghana ein victorious team insyd de 1982 African Cup of Nations, buh he never get opportunity go play insyd de FIFA World Cup, as de *Black Stars* fail say dem go qualify for de competition during ein career. Howeva, people dey argue say he be de most dominant figure for de African football scene top for nearly decade. Ein performance insyd de 1992 African Cup of Nations, for wich dem vote give am as de player for de tournament, plus particularly notable, as he score insyd three successive rounds make he help Ghana reach de final, buh he go collect yellow card insyd de semi-final against Nigeria wey mean say dem suspend am for de final; Ghana loose for penalties to de Ivory Coast. De performance earn am de nickname "De African Maradona".

Abedi be one of de first African football players wey earn top placing insyd FIFA World Player of de Year voting, doing so insyd 1991 den 1992. He win de *France Football* African Player of de Year Award three consecutive years, he be inaugural winner of de BBC African Sports Star of de Year insyd 1992, den de corresponding Confederation of African Football award twice.

Abedi hold de record for most appearances for de African Cup of Nations. He make ein first appearance for de insyd Libya insyd 1982 den continue to compete for de tournament for de next 16 years, ein last appearance dey cam insyd 1998 edition insyd Burkina Faso. Aside from ein exploits for de 1992 competition, Abedi san earn much acclaim for ein three goals for de 1996 competition, wer he lead Ghana to de semi-finals of de competition despite critics dey expect am make he be insyd de twilight of ein career.

## After retirement

Ayew participate for more FIFA organize charity matches insyd pass any oda African player. Abedi Pele be member of FIFA ein Football Committee, den de player status committees top for both FIFA den CAF. Dat dey explain why de South African FA make am Spokesperson for dema 2006 World Cup bid.

As dem dey appreciate Abedi ein devout services for ein country, de Ghanaian government award am as de country ein highest honour, de Order of the Volta (civil division). He cam make de first Ghanaian sportsman wey dem honour am.

### CAF-UEFA All Star
Amongst ein international accolades, he often dey include FIFA "All-Star" selections den captain de African All-Stars insyd dema victory over dema European counterparts insyd de 1997 Meridian Cup.

On 29 January 1997, de first UEFA–CAF Meridian Cup All-Star Match between Europe den Africa dem play am insyd Benfica ein Estádio da Luz insyd Lisbon wey dem televise am insyd 100 countries worldwide, wey dey include 30 insyd Africa, for audience of 60 million viewers. Abedi Pele score goal early insyd de first half den, after Vincent Guérin get ein equalizer give Europe just before half-time, e be de 1998 African Player of de Year, Mustapha Hadji, wey strike Africa ein 78th-minute winner insyd de 2–1 win.

Insyd 2001, de UEFA–CAF Meridian Cup All-Star Match format wey dem change am slightly for de second All-Star Match wey ego bring togeda players aged between 35 den 45 wey now revel am insyd dema 'veteran' status den play de game purely for pleasure. De squad spark off memories of great footballing moments for club den international level.

### Football Ambassador
Insyd June 2001 dem nominate am by de present government of Ghana make he serve as de next Chairmo give de FA, opportunity he later give up for more experience former coach of Ghana for wich for ein own words insyd he talk say dis be opportunity for am make he learn from ein superiors.

As we dey talk now, he dey own first division club, wey dem dey bell am Nania, plus de future hopes say he go nurture de young talent make dem augment de fledgling league for de country. He san dey do plenty charity work across de African continent.

### Controversy
Na dem embroil Abedi Pele for serious allegation insyd Second Division Promotion Play-off bribery scandal for wich de Ghana Football Association find am den odas guilty. De guilty verdict cam dey attract fines den suspensions give Abedi den odas, buh dese dem quash am by de Appeals Committee for Football Association after dem determine say na irregularities dey insyd de initial judgement for de Ghana Football Association. De allegations dey stem from astonishing 31–0 victory record by ein club, Nania FC ova Okwawu United side. Similarly farcical 28–0 result dem record am insyd anoda second division match dem play between Great Mariners den Tudu Mighty Jets for de same weekend. De clubs wey involve insyd dat Second Division Promotion Play-off Zone III match wey dem san investigate den subject to de prospect of stiff penalties den demotions. Despite ein vehement denials, Dem chastise Abedi by sam members for de Ghanaian media, wey dey demand say make dem take strong punitive actions against am, by Ghana ein football governing body as well as de legal system. Dem ban ein wifey Maha Ayew from football against dis Manipulations Scandal for 3 November 2008.

## Style of play
As he be playmaker, dem know Pele for ein speed, close control, den dribbling skills, as well as ein passing den goalscoring ability. He usually dey play as attacking midfielder anaa as forward. Dem san give am nicknames de "Maestro" den "De African Maradona."

## Ein life matter
Abedi be de bro of Kwame den Sola Ayew (ex-Hearts of Oak den Black Meteors). He san be de poppie of André, Jordan, Rahim, Imani, den he marry Maha. Ein sons, Ibrahim, André den Jordan, cam turn internationals give Ghana. André den Rahim – rep Ghana insyd de 2010 FIFA World Cup insyd South Africa wey Jordan den André rep Ghana insyd de 2014 FIFA World Cup insyd Brazil den de 2022 FIFA World Cup insyd Qatar.

## Career statistics

### Club

:  

### International

: *Scores den results dey list Ghana ein goal tally first, score column dey indicate score after each Pele goal.*

## Honours

### Player
**Marseille**

* French Division 1: 1990–91, 1991–92
* UEFA Champions League: 1992–93; runner-up: 1990–91

**Al Ain**

* Pro-League: 1999–2000
* UAE President's Cup: 1999

* African Cup of Nations: 1982; runners-up: 1992
* West African Nations Cup: 1982, 1983, 1984

**Individual**

* BBC African Footballer of the Year: 1991
* African Footballer of the Year: 1991, 1992, 1993
* Africa Cup of Nations Golden Ball: 1992
* Africa Cup of Nations Team of the Tournament: 1992, 1994, 1996
* Ghana Footballer of the Year: 1993
* MasterCard African Team of the 20th Century: 1998
* IFFHS African Player of the Century (1901–2000): 3rd Best
* IFFHS All-time Africa Men's Dream Team: 2021
* FIFA World Player of the Year: 9th 1992, Nomination 1991
* FIFA All-Star Forward: 1996 (Reserve), 1997 (Reserve), 1999
* FIFA 100
* Golden Foot Legends Award: 2011
* Ghana Football Awards Living Legend Award: 2022
* Ghana SWAG Best Colts (Young) Player: 1978
* On 26 March 2004, he was appointed a "(WAFUNIF) Special Envoy 4 Peace and Development"
* CAF Top 30 African Footballers in the last 50 years: 5th place

**Orders**

*  OOTV Civil Division: Order of the Volta: (1996)

### Manager
**Nania**

* Ghanaian FA Cup: 2011
* Ghana Super Cup: 2011

## References



## External links

* "Biography". Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 10 November 2008.