Italian Embassy to honour Abedi Pele, Stephen Appiah and Mark Edusei

Former captains of the Black Stars, Abedi Ayew "Pele" and Stephen Appiah will be celebrated on June 13 at the second edition Calcio Trade Ball, an event which honours Ghanaian footballers who have played in Italy.

A statement issued by the Embassy of Italy said the event will gather the sport, business, media and diplomatic communities at the residence of the Ambassador of Italy, Mr Giovanni Favilli in Accra.

"It all started in 1991, when the Under 17 Ghanaian team played in Italy and, as a result, seven players were recruited. Now there are more Ghanaian players in Italy than in any other country outside Ghana. Italian football would not be the same without Ghanaian players and we want to celebrate this fantastic relationship," the statement said in a quote attributed to Ambassador Favilli.

Ayew will be lauded for his role as a trailblazer for Ghanaian footballers in Italy between the 1994-1996 Serie A seasons where he made 49 appearances and scored 11 goals for Torino.

While, Appiah's longevity spanning two separate spells where he turned out for Udinese, Parma, Brescia, Juventus, Bologna and Cesena will be celebrated. He also won the Coppa Italia 2002 and Supercoppa Italiana 2003 with Parma and Juventus respectively.

Former Ghana midfielder Mark Edusei who played for Italian clubs including Sampdoria, Piacenza, Torino, Catania and Bari is also scheduled to receive an award.

The event starts at 7 am and is by invitation only.