Mohammed Polo Explained

Mohammed Polo
Fullname:Alhaji Mohammed Ahmed
Birth Date:1956 11, df=yes
Birth Place:Accra, Ghana
Position:Forward
Years1:1972–1973
Clubs1:Auroras FC
Years2:1973–1979
Caps2:232
Goals2:145
Years3:1979–1984
Clubs3:Al-Wasl
Years4:1985–1987
Years5:1987–1988
Clubs5:FC 105 Libreville
Years6:1988–1989
Clubs6:Shell FC
Years7:1989–1992
Years8:1992–1994
Nationalyears1:1973–1985
Nationalcaps1:54
Nationalgoals1:20
Manageryears1:1994–1995
Managerclubs1:Hearts of Oak
Manageryears2:2003
Managerclubs2:Stade Malien
Manageryears3:2004
Managerclubs3:Great Olympics
Manageryears4:2013–2014
Managerclubs4:Hearts of Oak

Alhaji Mohammed Ahmed (born 11 November 1956), popularly known as Mohammed Polo and the "Dribbling Magician",[1] is a former Ghanaian international and local club football player. He is considered one of the best dribblers and Ghanaian player of his generation.

He spent years of his soccer career playing as a left winger for Hearts of Oak in the Ghana Premier League in the 1970s and 1980s, and was also a key player in the Ghana squad that won the 1978 African Cup of Nations held in Ghana.[2]

Playing career

Club career

Early beginnings in the 70s

Polo played football with teams in Accra such as Auroras, Accra Great Olympics and for Hearts of Oak, where along with Mama Acquah, Anas Seidu, Peter Lamptey and Robert Hammond were known as the “Fearsome Five”.[3]

Late 70s and 80s at Al Wasl

From 1979 to 1984, Mohammad Polo played for the famous Dubai club, Al Wasl, where he was popular with the fans.[4] [5]

Later career

In 1985 Polo returned to the league of Ghana for Hearts of Oak where he stayed for 2 seasons. He returned to Hearts of Oak in 1989 for another 3-year spell with the club. In 1992 he signed again for Accra Great Olympics ending his career in 1994, aged 38, to move into coaching.

International career

He was first called-up to play for the Black Stars at age 17.[6] In the 1978 African Cup of Nations where Ghana won its third AFCON title, Polo scored a goal and was listed as a forward in the CAF Team of the Tournament along 3 other Ghanaian players.[7]
He played 54 times scoring 20 goals for Ghana national team from 1973 until 1985.

Post-playing career

He was appointed head coach of Ghana Premier League club Accra Hearts of Oak in 1994 and then in 2013 for seven months.[8] [9] In 2004, Polo was appointed the technical head of the Ghanaian football club Accra Great Olympics.[10] Mohammed Polo owns the soccer academy Golden Stars Academy,[11] which trained at Legon, however has now been renamed Polo Soccer Academy.

Legacy

In 2020, as a speculation regarding Ghana's greatest player of all time had emerged, Polo claimed to be Ghana's best footballer ever[12] [13] following a statement by Osei Kofi who said the same about himself. Polo's statement was also back by Abedi Pele,[14] Kwabena Yeboah and Kwabena Agyapong.[15] [16] On 9 September 2021, Ghanaian-born singer and political activist Kwame Asare Obeng (aka A Plus) stated that Polo is the third greatest player in history, only behind Pelé and Diego Maradona praising his dribbling abilities.[17]

Honours

Polo has won the following honours[18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23]

!Award by!Honour
Champions
Team of the tournament
Ghana Football Association (1975)Footballer of the year
France Football Magazine – African Player of the Year (1977) 4th place
UAE League 1981–82, 1982–83Champions
Coca-Cola Award on Breaking Barriers (2006)Awarded

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Association . Ghana Football . Preview: "Dribbling Magician" arrives as League re . 2023-07-07 . www.ghanafa.org . en.
  2. Web site: 17 July 2022 . Ghana FA boss Kurt Okraku eulogizes legend Mohammed Polo at book launch . 7 July 2023 . ghanasoccernet.com.
  3. Web site: Hearts of Oak: O outono da árvore de Accra . 2007-04-08 . Portuguese . 7 December 2006 . Martins . Rafael . Trivela.com . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070102111643/http://www.trivela.com/default.asp?pag=ExibirMateria&codMateria=2074&coluna=23 . January 2, 2007 .
  4. Web site: Mumuni . Lukman . 2023-08-10 . "Arabs Worshipped Me": Mohammed Polo Claims He is More Popular Than Ronaldo in Arab Football . 2023-08-27 . SportsBrief - Sport news. . en.
  5. Web site: 2023-08-09 . I made Saudi league popular before Ronaldo arrived – Mohammed Polo . 2023-08-27 . GhanaWeb . en.
  6. Web site: Mohammed Polo, Biography . 2023-08-27 . www.ghanaweb.com.
  7. Web site: African Nations Cup 1978 . 2023-08-27 . www.rsssf.org.
  8. Web site: 2013-11-25 . Confirmed! Mohammed Polo is new Hearts Coach - MyJoyOnline.com . 2023-09-29 . www.myjoyonline.com . en-US.
  9. Web site: 2014-06-25 . Hearts of Oak parts ways with coach Polo . 2023-09-29 . Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always . en-US.
  10. Web site: Ghana News Agency . 19 January 2004 . Olympics name new technical team . 29 September 2023 . Modern Ghana.
  11. News: 29 May 2006 . Improving Ghana's football infrastructure for CAN 2008 . Panapress . dead . 2008-04-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080406234457/http://www.panapress.com/mondial2002/infghanaeng.htm . 2008-04-06.
  12. Web site: I Am Ghana's All Time Greatest Player - Mohammed Polo . 8 June 2020 . modernghana.com. Samuel Ekow Amoasi Appiah .
  13. Web site: I'm Ghana's G.O.A.T - Mohammed Polo - GhanaWeb. 8 June 2020 . www.ghanaweb.com.
  14. News: Pele recognizing me as his idol means I am the best ever - Max. max.com.gh.
  15. Web site: A Plus, Kwabena Agyapong and two others who believe Polo is Ghana's GOAT. ghanaweb.com.
  16. Web site: Abedi Pele 3rd on Kwabena Agyapong's list of Ghana's greatest ever player. pulse.com.
  17. Web site: Mohammed Polo was better than Lionel Messi – A Plus - Pulse Ghana. 9 September 2021 . pulse.com.
  18. Web site: The Club:Personal Awards . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070606033047/http://www.accraheartsofoak.com/club/personalawards.php . 2007-06-06 . 2007-04-08 . Official website . Accra Hearts Of Oak Sporting Club.
  19. Web site: Pierrend . José Luis . 14 Feb 2000 . African Player of the Year 1977 . 2007-04-08 . Football statistics website . Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation.
  20. Web site: African Player of the Year 1977 . 2023-09-29 . www.rsssf.org.
  21. Web site: Soccer News of Friday, 6 January 2006 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070927070811/http://ghanaweb.net/GhanaHomePage/SportsArchive/artikel.php?ID=97203&comment=1744585 . 2007-09-27 . 2007-04-08.
  22. News: Kumi . Sylvanus . 20 January 2006 . Mohammed Polo And Abedi Pele Commended . New Times Corporation . 2007-04-08.
  23. Web site: The World Cup Is Coming To Ghana - Kufuor . 2007-04-08 . Official website . Ghana government . A special award dubbed: "Break Down Barriers" was presented to Ghana's great soccer, the dibbling magician, Mohammed Ahmed Polo for using football to unite the people of Dagbon during the Northern conflict. One of his high points was when he organised a special football friendly match in the heat of the conflict between the Nanumbas and the Kokombas to ease the tension..

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