Kwadwo Asamoah

Kwadwo Asamoah

Asamoah in 2014
Personal information
Full name Kwadwo Asamoah
Date of birth (1988-12-09) 9 December 1988
Place of birth Kumasi, Ashanti, Ghana
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)[1]
Playing position Midfielder, Left-back
Club information
Current team
 Juventus
Number 22
Youth career
2005–2006 Kaaseman, Kumasi
2006–2007 Liberty Professionals, Accra
2008 Bellinzona
2008 → Torino
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2012 Udinese 114 (8)
2012– Juventus 82 (4)
National team‡
2008– Ghana[2] 66 (4)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 18 September 2016.

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 1 September 2014

Kwadwo "Kojo" Asamoah[3] /ˌkwʌˈdʒoʊ/ /æsæˈmoʊˌɑː/, kwu-JOE ə-sah-MOH-ah; born 9 December 1988 in Accra)[4] is a Ghanaian professional footballer, who plays as a left midfielder, left wing-back or as an offensive central midfielder for Italian club Juventus and the Ghana national football team.[5]

He began his professional career with Italian club Udinese in 2008; his consistent performances earned him a transfer to Juventus in 2012, where, with his energy, versatility, and technical skills, he played a key role in helping the club to four consecutive Serie A titles. At international level, he has represented Ghana in four Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, and two FIFA World Cups.

Asamoah was awarded CAF Most Promising African Player in 2010 and named Ghana Player of the Year twice consecutively for 2012 and 2013.[6][7] In 2013, Asamoah was ranked as the 27th best footballer in the world by Bloomberg.[8]

Club career

Early career

Asamoah playing for Udinese in 2011

Asamoah was scouted playing for a local based club, which belongs to Kamara and was recommended by the scout Mr. Charles Mensah Gapson to the late Alhaji Sly Tetteh, former CEO of Liberty Professionals. He joined Swiss club Bellinzona and was loaned to Italian side Torino in the winter of 2007–08.

Udinese

In June 2008 Asamoah was signed by Serie A club Udinese where he established him self and became a linch pin. He eventually established himself for both club and country. After some good performances at the 2010 World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations, he became a target of top clubs in Europe.[9][10]

Juventus

Asamoah playing for Juventus in 2013

Asamoah and Udinese teammate Mauricio Isla both joined Juventus in July 2012 on co-ownership agreements, with Juventus paying €9 million for 50% of Asamoah's contract.[11][12] He made his debut on 11 August 2012 against Napoli in the 2012 Supercoppa Italiana, scoring a goal as Juventus went on to win 4–2 after extra time.[13] Due to his impressive performance against Napoli, Antonio Conte, who was Juventus's coach at the time, decided to start him in the opening league match of the 2012–13 season, against Parma, on 25 August: he made an immediate impact, by setting up Stephan Lichtsteiner's goal in a 2–0 home win.[14] On 16 September, he scored his first goal with his new club in a 3–1 away league win over Genoa.[15] Juventus went on to win the Serie A title that season.[16] Asamoah was bought outright by Juventus in June 2013, signing a four-year deal with the club.[17]

On 9 March 2014, Asamoah scored a notable goal in a 1–0 home victory over Fiorentina,[18] as Juventus went on to defend the Serie A title and the Supercoppa Italiana that season.[19][20]

During the 2014–15 season, Asamoah suffered a severe knee injury in the 10th league match of the season, on 1 November 2014, against Empoli, ruling him out for most of the season.[21] He was only first able to return to the team and resume training towards the end of the season, as Juventus won the Serie A title; he was therefore not able to appear in Juventus's Coppa Italia victory over Lazio in the final.[22] He returned to the pitch on 23 May 2015, in a 3–1 home win over Napoli.[23]

On 23 July 2016, Asamoah started for Juventus as captain on pitch in the opening game of 2016 International Champions Cup Australian version, as the club were drawn 1–1 with Melbourne Victory (Melbourne Victory won 4–3 on penalties), at Melbourne's Melbourne Cricket Ground.[24][25] On 25 September 2016, it was confirmed that Asamoah would be sidelined for six weeks after limping off the pitch a day before away to Palermo with a sprained right knee; tests at the J-Medical centre revealed he suffered the complete tear of the medial meniscus ligament.[26]

International career

On the international level, Asamoah was given his debut for the Ghana national team, Black Stars, in 2006, under French manager Claude Le Roy. He represented Ghana in 2008 and 2010 editions of the Africa Cup of Nations, winning a bronze and a silver medal in the respective tournaments, and later in the 2012 and 2013 editions. He also appeared for Ghana at the 2010 FIFA World Cup and at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Style of play

A hardworking, energetic and tactically versatile player, Asamoah is primarily known for his pace, strength, stamina, and his outstanding technical characteristics; these attributes allow him to be effective both offensively and defensively, and enable him to play in several positions along the pitch in defence or midfield, although he primarily serves as a ball-winner. A predominantly left-footed player, with Juventus, Asamoah has usually been deployed as a full-back, wing-back, or wide-midfielder on the left flank, although he had previously also been used in the centre as a defensive, central, box-to-box, or offensive midfielder prior to joining the club. In addition to his physical and athletic attributes, he is also a very agile footballer, and is a neat passer and a skilful dribbler.[27][28]

Career statistics

Club statistics

As of 18 September 2016.[29]
Team League Season League Cup1 Europe2 Other Cups3 Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Udinese Serie A 2008–09 2022060--282
2009–10 25120----271
2010–11 38210----392
2011–12 3130090--403
Udinese Total 114 8 5 0 15 0 – – 134 8
Juventus Serie A 2012–13 272107011363
2013–14 3421011010472
2014–15 70003000100
2015–16 110200000130
2016–17 3000100040
Juventus Total 82 4 4 0 22 0 2 1 110 5
Career totals 19612903702124713

1Includes Coppa Italia.

2Includes UEFA Cup, UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League.

3Includes Supercoppa Italiana.

National team

As of September 2014.[2]
Ghana national team
YearAppsGoals
200810
200961
2010180
2011100
2012110
2013143
201460
Total664

Honours

Club

Juventus[30]

International

Ghana[30]

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "Player Profile". Juventus FC. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
  2. 1 2 "Asamoah, Kwadwo". National Football Teams. Retrieved 24 January 2012.
  3. ↑ "Kwadwo Kojo Asamoah". Schedecalciatori.it. Retrieved 26 March 2013.
  4. ↑ "Udinese player profile – Asamoah, Kwadwo". udinese.it. Udinese Calcio. Retrieved 24 January 2012.
  5. ↑ "South Africa". Kick Off. Retrieved 22 April 2009.
  6. ↑ "Kwadwo Asamoah wins SWAG flagship award". ghanafa.org. Ghana Football Association (GFA). Retrieved 21 September 2013.
  7. ↑ "Asamoah wins Goal Ghana Player of the Year 2013 Award". goal.com. Goal.com. Retrieved 26 December 2013.
  8. ↑ "Messi and Ronaldo joined by Ribery in top three of new list of Europe's top 50 stars". Sky Sports. 12 June 2013. Retrieved 14 June 2013.
  9. ↑ "Manchester United tracking Udinese's Kwadwo Asamoah". Daily Mail. 3 November 2011.
  10. ↑ "Asamoah: We want another go in 2014". FIFA.com. 31 December 2011.
  11. ↑ "Asamoah and Isla move to Juventu". juventus.com. 2 July 2012.
  12. ↑ "Juventus confirm signing of Ghana's Kwadwo Asamoah". BBC Sport. 2 July 2012.
  13. ↑ Riccardo Pratesi (11 August 2012). "La Supercoppa è della Juve 4-2 al Napoli dopo 120'" (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
  14. ↑ Riccardo Pratesi (25 August 2012). "Juve facile col Parma: 2-0" (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  15. ↑ Riccardo Pratesi (16 September 2012). "Juve, rimonta griffata Vucinic Il Genoa spreca e si arrende" (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  16. ↑ "Asamoah, an instant idol at Juventus. He is first player from Africa who win Serie A title. Stadium". juventus.com. 25 August 2012.
  17. ↑ "Juventus buy Ghana's Kwadwo Asamoah outright from Udinese". BBC. 19 June 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  18. ↑ Mirko Graziano (9 March 2014). "Juventus-Fiorentina 1-0, perla di Asamoah. Traversa di Matos nel finale" (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
  19. ↑ Susy Campanale. "Serie A Stats of the Season 2013-14". Football Italia. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  20. ↑ "Supercoppa Italiana 2013" (in Italian). Juventus.com. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  21. ↑ "Ogbonna e Asamoah ko, in Champions Juve con l'emergenza difesa" (in Italian). Tuttosport. 1 November 2014. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
  22. ↑ Antonio Guerra (11 May 2015). "Tuttosport - Asamoah torna ad allenarsi in gruppo" (in Italian). Tuttosport. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
  23. ↑ Fabiana Della Valle (23 May 2015). "Juve-Napoli 3-1: Allegri onora la festa, Benitez dice quasi addio alla Champions" [Juve-Napoli 3-1: Allegri honours the celebration, Benitez almost says goodbye to the Champions League] (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. Retrieved 24 May 2015.
  24. ↑ "Melbourne Victory 1-1 Juventus (pens: 4-3): Bianconeri lose in ICC opener". Goal.com. 23 July 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  25. ↑ "Asamoah plays down Juventus defeat". Goal.com. 23 July 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  26. ↑ "Rugani and Asamoah out 45 days". Football Italia. 25 September 2016. Retrieved 25 September 2016.
  27. ↑ "Conosciamoli meglio: Kwadwo Asamoah" (in Italian). Canale Juve.it. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
  28. ↑ "New beginnings for Massimiliano Allegri's Juventus". Yahoo.com. 18 September 2014. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
  29. ↑ "Kwadwo ASAMOAH". lequipe.fr (in French). L'Équipe. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  30. 1 2 3 4 "Kwadwo Asamoah". eurosport.fr (in French). Eurosport. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  31. ↑ "Serie A, Gran Galà del Calcio Aic. Tutte le frasi e i premi". www.tuttosport.com (in Italian). Tuttosport. 15 December 2014. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
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