Former Ghana international Yussif Chibsah has bemoaned the lack of recognition given to African players on the global stage.
Chibsah reckons over the years, the treatment meted out to players of African origin with respect to awards has been unjust.
According to him, the only thing that stood between Abedi Ayew Pele and a recognition as the best player globally was his African status.
Speaking in an interview with www.ghanaweb.com Chibsah eulogized Abedi with the backing that the ex-Olympic Marseille star on his unusually bad days still decided games for his club and country.
While respecting Messi and Ronaldo as two of the best players in the history of the game, Chibsah avers that Abedi would have been mentioned in the same sentence as them if he was from the other divide.
Chibsah claims Abedi with ease did what Messi and Ronaldo are doing which marvels their supporters.
“He was just the best. Even on bad days for the national team, he could carry the team on his shoulders alone and that tells you the kind of player he is. If you want to see the best of Abedi, watch his game in France. If you look at what Messi, Ronald and co are doing, Abedi did them in the best ways”.
“I will say that technically he’s more gifted than Messi and Ronaldo. It’s unfortunate that we Africans don’t get global recognition. If Abedi was to be a European, he would have gotten to the stage of being the world best player. We’ve had Oppong Weah who won the world best player in his days with AC Milan but trust me Abedi was on top”.
Abedi won three CAF Footballer of the Year awards as well as a Champions League trophy with Marseille.
In 73 national team appearances, Abedi bagged 33 goals and won the 1982 Africa Cup of Nations.
Culled from Ghanaweb
