 Kuffour in 2010 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Samuel Osei Kuffour[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1976-09-03)3 September 1976 (age 49) | ||
| Place of birth | Kumasi, Ghana | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Position | Centre-back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Fantomas Kumasi | |||
| 1990–1991 | King Faisal Babes | ||
| 1991–1993 | Torino | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1993–2005 | Bayern Munich | 175 | (7) |
| 1995–1996 | →1. FC Nürnberg (loan) | 12 | (1) |
| 2005–2008 | Roma | 21 | (0) |
| 2006–2007 | →Livorno (loan) | 18 | (0) |
| 2008 | →Ajax (loan) | 2 | (0) |
| 2009 | Asante Kotoko | ||
| Total | 228 | (8) | |
| International career | |||
| 1993–2006 | Ghana | 54 | (3) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men'sassociation football | ||
Representing Ghana | ||
| Olympic Games | ||
 | 1992 Barcelona | Team competition |
Samuel Osei "Sammy"Kuffour (born 3 September 1976) is a Ghanaian former professionalfootballer who played as acentre-back.
Known for his physical power, Kuffour is best remembered for his time withBayern Munich, whom he represented for over a decade, winning a total of 14 honours, and playing in nearly 250 official matches.
Kuffour appeared with theGhana national team in the2006 World Cup as well as in fiveAfrica Cup of Nations.
Born in Ghana, Kuffour was brought to Europe byTorino FC in 1991 aged just 15, after playing junior football for local teams in his native country. He joinedBayern Munich in 1993 from the Italian club. After a season-long loan spell with1. FC Nürnberg in the2. Bundesliga, he made his breakthrough with theBavarians.
Kuffour spent 11 seasons with Bayern, rising from the youth teams to be a prominent first-squad member who lifted theUEFA Champions League with the club. He was an integral part of the squad that won the2000–01 Champions League, also scoring the winning goal in the2001 Intercontinental Cup, being subsequently named man of the match.[2] Also in that year, he finished second inAfrican Footballer of the Year's voting, repeating the feat accomplished in 1999.[3]
Kuffour was also part of the Bayern team which lost toManchester United due to two late goals in the1999 UEFA Champions League Final, famously beating the ground in frustration afterwards, a gesture that endeared him to Bayern supporters. He also became the youngest defender to ever score in the Champions League, at the age of 18 years and 61 days, during the match againstSpartak Moscow on 2 November 1994, which ended in a 2–2 draw.[4] Kuffour made over 60 UEFA Champions League appearances, being one of the most decorated African players of all time.[5] After twelve seasons in Munich and 175Bundesliga appearances,[6] Kuffour left Bayern in 2005.[7]
Kuffour left Bayern in the summer of 2005 and signed a three-year deal withAS Roma in afree transfer, thus returning to Italy.[7] He made 21 appearances inhis debut season, having spent a period of the season away oninternational duty. In his second year, he was loaned toUEFA Cup competitor and fellowSerie A teamAS Livorno Calcio.[8] He played his 89th and last match inEuropean cup competitions for Livorno.[9]
In August 2007, Kuffour had a trial withPremier League sideSunderland, with a view to a permanent move. However, managerRoy Keane confirmed he would not be joining the club, in a post match interview after Sunderland's defeat toLiverpool.[10]
On 28 January 2008,AFC Ajax received Kuffour on a six-month loan contract, with an option for two more seasons.[8] He was released following a lack of form, and was also deemed surplus to requirements by Roma bossLuciano Spalletti, thus becoming afree agent.
In August, it was thought that Kuffour had joinedRussian Premier League sideFC Khimki. However, it was announced on 10 September by his agent that he had retired from professional football with immediate effect.[11] Kuffour rejected the news and stated his desire to continue his career; in January 2009, he was linked toMajor League Soccer sideChicago Fire S.C. – the CEO of US-based Sports to Develop Destitute claimed he was helping the player finalise the deal.[12]
In April 2009, Kuffour finally returned to Ghana after a 19-year absence, seeing his career out with a three-month deal withAsante Kotoko.[13] He however retired in late 2009 without playing an official match for the club.
AGhana international for 13 years, Kuffour won his firstcap as a 17-year-old in a game againstSierra Leone on 28 November 1993. He had previously been part of every national team – junior, youth and Olympic level – and became the full squad'scaptain at the age of 23.
Kuffour had burst onto the international scene at age 13. At junior level, he was a member of the Ghana side that won the1991 FIFA U-17 World Championship in Italy and the one that was runner-up toNigeria in the1993 FIFA U-17 World Championship in Japan. At youth level, he appeared with the team that finished second toBrazil during the1993 FIFA World Youth Championship in Australia.
Kuffour became the youngest Olympic Football Champion of all time when he collected bronze at the1992 Olympics just before his 16th birthday. He was also a member of the squad that reached the quarter-finals at the same level in1996.
Kuffour also made one appearance for his country at the2006 FIFA World Cup againstItaly. After a costly mistake in that first match, a 0–2 loss, he was dropped for the next three games as Ghana bowed out in the round-of-16 against Brazil.
On 12 January 2007, theConfederation of African Football voted Kuffour as a member of the Top 30 African Players of All Time.
In 2010, after retiring from playing football, Kuffour entered into sports punditry working primarily with South Africa-based channelSuperSports, debuting with the2010 FIFA World Cup.[14][15] On 8 February 2015, he was shaved as he vowed on live TV within the SupersSports studios following theBlack Stars failure to win theAFCON 2015 as he predicted.[16][17] In 2018, he took a break from football punditry for the2018 FIFA World Cup upon the advice of his doctor due to excessive travelling.[14]
In August 2013, Kuffour was appointed as a board member of the Ghana-based football clubKumasi Asante Kotoko.[18][19] On 2 October 2014, while serving as a board member, he was announced as the new CEO for Kumasi Asante Kotoko after being appointed by the club ownerOtumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II. By 15 October, it had become apparent that the early announcement had caused a renege on that decision by the Otumfuor.[20]
In February 2016, Kuffour was named as member of Black Starlets, theGhana national under-17 football team, after playing for the team in the 1990s.[21] On 16 January 2020, he was appointed as a member of the management board of the Black Stars, the Ghana senior national team.[22][23]
In 2003, Kuffour revealed to theBBC, in an interview for the 'Heart and Soul' documentary, that he wanted to be apriest or amissionary when he retired from football. In the interview, he also spoke about the surprised reaction of some German players as he prayed before games, while also addressing the support he received from fellow GhanaianChristians, especially those living in Munich. In the same interview, Kuffour also talked about the death of his daughter Godiva in a drowning accident in January that year. He explained that his Christian faith gave him the courage to face the future.[24]
He is the uncle of the American soccer playerMatai Akinmboni.[25]
He is also the father of aspiring young footballer Samuel Kuffour Jr., who signed forHapoel Be'er Sheva.[26] In February 2025, his son Sam Kuffour signed professional terms with English League Two side Colchester United.
| Club | Season | League | Cup[a] | Continental[b] | Other[c] | Total | Ref. | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Bayern Munich | 1994–95 | Bundesliga | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | — | 13 | 1 | [27] | |
| 1996–97 | 22 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 25 | 0 | [27] | |||
| 1997–98 | 17 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | 25 | 2 | [28] | |||
| 1998–99 | 15 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 0 | — | 26 | 0 | [29] | |||
| 1999–2000 | 18 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 13 | 0 | — | 34 | 3 | [30] | |||
| 2000–01 | 23 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 38 | 1 | [27][31] | ||
| 2001–02 | 21 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 40 | 0 | [27][32] | ||
| 2002–03 | 20 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 30 | 1 | [27][33] | ||
| 2003–04 | 23 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 33 | 1 | [27][34] | ||
| 2004–05 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | [27] | ||
| Total | 175 | 7 | 23 | 1 | 74 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 277 | 9 | — | ||
| Bayern Munich II | 1994–95 | Regionalliga Süd | 3 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 0 | [27] | ||||
| 1995–96 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | [27] | ||||||
| 2004–05 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | [27] | |||||
| Total | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | ||||
| 1. FC Nürnberg (loan) | 1995–96 | 2. Bundesliga | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 12 | 1 | [27] | ||
| Roma | 2005–06 | Serie A | 21 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 1 | — | 31 | 1 | [27] | |
| Livorno (loan) | 2006–07 | Serie A | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | — | 26 | 0 | [27] | |
| Ajax (loan) | 2007–08 | Eredivisie | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | [27] | |
| Asante Kotoko | 2009 | Ghana Premier League | |||||||||||
| Career total | 229 | 8 | 30 | 1 | 89 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 353 | 11 | — | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ghana | 1994 | 5 | 0 |
| 1995 | 3 | 0 | |
| 1996 | 9 | 0 | |
| 1997 | 5 | 1 | |
| 1998 | 5 | 0 | |
| 1999 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2000 | 8 | 2 | |
| 2001 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2002 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2003 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2004 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2005 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2006 | 6 | 0 | |
| Total | 54 | 3 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13 July 1997 | Accra Sports Stadium,Accra, Ghana |  Zimbabwe | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1998 African Cup of Nations qualification |
| 2 | 8 April 2000 | Sheikh Amri Abeid Memorial Stadium,Arusha, Tanzania |  Tanzania | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 3 | 23 April 2000 | Ohene Djan Stadium, Accra, Ghana | Tanzania | 1–0 | 3–2 | 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification |
Individual
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