Willie Mfum

Footballer Willie Mfum played professionally for 10 years with spells for clubs in his native Ghana and in the United States, in addition to representing the Ghana national team. Mfum began his career with Asante Kotoko in 1962, spending five years with the side before signing with the Baltimore Bays in 1968. One year later he joined Ukrainian SC in New York, also representing the Ukrainian Nationals in the American Soccer League. Mfum finished his career with the New York Cosmos, making 15 appearances for the team in the 1971–72 season in the North American Soccer League.

From 1960 to 1968 Mfum played in 26 matches for the Ghana national football team, scoring 20 goals. His first goal came in Ghana’s 6–3 win against Kenya in September 1962 during the Ugandan Independence Tournament. He then scored two goals against Uganda during the same tournament, along with five goals in a 12–0 win in a friendly match against Nyasaland (now Malawi).

In 1963 Ghana made its début at the African Cup of Nations, with Mfum scoring the team’s first ever goal in the tournament in their 1–1 draw against Tunisia. Ghana, who were also the tournament’s hosts, went on to win the competition, beating Sudan 3–0 in the final. Mfum was then involved in Ghana’s qualification matches for the 1964 Olympics, also playing in the football tournament at the Tokyo Games. Four years later he made his return to the African Cup of Nations where he was Ghana’s leading scorer with five goals.