John Mensah is a central defender who plays for English side Sunderland, on loan from French club Lyon. He is also the captain of the Ghanaian national team, the Black Stars. He left Ghana for Italy as a seventeen year old, playing for clubs like Bologna, Genoa, Chievo Verona, Modena and Cremonese. Though it was already on loan to Swiss side AC Bellinzona in 2000/01 that he was called up for the FIFA Youth World Championship. Ghana finished runners-up to the host nation Argentina.
In the January 2006 transfer window Mensah left Italy on loan to French side Rennes. He immediately impressed and in April Rennes made the deal permanent. At Rennes he established himself as one of the best defenders in Ligue 1. In January 2008 he was made team captain but still decided to leave the club at the end of the season. Rennes were desperate to keep him but he was looking for a club with bigger ambitions and possible Champions League football. In July 2008 Lyon got his signature in an €8.4 million deal, binding him to the club for the next five years. However the following season saw Mensah out on loan to English club Sunderland, where he made a solid impact in the Premier League. Several English clubs had shown their interest in the physical Ghanaian but in the end the Black Star also became a Black Cat. Sunderland have also secured another loan deal for the 2010/11 season.

Asamoah Gyan is a Ghanaian striker who plays for Emirati club Al Ain, on loan from English side Sunderland. Gyan has developed into one of the brightest shining Black Stars (popular name for the Ghana national team). On 31 August he signed a 4 year contract at Sunderland for new club record £13 million fee to French side Rennes. His first club outside Ghana was Italian side Udinese.
Gyan made his debut for Ghana on 19 November 2003, three days before his 18th birthday, scoring in a 2-0 win over Somalia. He has been a steady goal scorer for Ghana including a goal at the 2006 FIFA World Cup and three goals in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. In the 2010 quarter final against Uruguay Gyan missed a penalty in the last minute of extra time, hitting the crossbar. (After Suarez’ infamous handball on the goal line.) In the subsequent penalty shootout Gyan converted his penalty but Ghana lost 2-4.

Michael Essien is an all-round midfielder who plays for English side Chelsea and Ghana. He joined Chelsea in August 2005 from French side Lyon as the Ligue 1 Player of the Year. At the time he was Chelsea’s most expensive signing at £26 million. Since then he has been one of the instrumental players in Chelsea’s success in the Premier League. He has also been one of the star players in the Ghanaian national team, the Black Stars. Due to a knee injury he missed the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He is currently enjoying a strong 2010/11 season with Chelsea but has for the time being made himself unavailable for his national team. Essien feels he needs to focus on Chelsea after having suffered two bad injuries whilst playing for Ghana.