2010 World Cup sealed my love affair with Ghana football - Jeremie Frimpong

Dutch-born Ghanaian defender Jeremie Frimpong has revealed how he became attracted to Ghanaian football. Frimpong’s Ghanaian heritage made him eligible to play for Ghana; however, the Bayer Leverkusen full-back opted to represent the Netherlands.

With the Bundesliga on break for the Christmas festivities, Frimpong arrived in Ghana, his parents' homeland, for the first time on Sunday, December 22, 2024, after announcing earlier in December that he planned to visit the country.

During his time in Ghana, Frimpong has played football on the streets and participated in donation drives. Like Marcel Desailly, Memphis Depay, and Callum Hudson-Odoi, not playing for Ghana has not diminished Frimpong’s love for the country or his connection to his roots. In an interview with 3Sports, the full-back shared that Ghana’s inspirational journey in the 2010 World Cup was a key factor in his affection for the country.

“I watched the 2010 World Cup and fell in love with Ghana because the players gave their all and reached the quarterfinals,” he told 3Sports.

Since joining Leverkusen in 2021, Frimpong has become an integral part of the team, playing over 100 games for the German club. His influence was evident in the 2023/24 season, when the 24-year-old’s 16-goal contributions helped the 2024 Bundesliga champions go unbeaten in their title-winning campaign.

He has carried that form into the 2024/25 Bundesliga season, scoring two goals and providing three assists in 15 appearances.

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