John Yeboah Zamora: Meet the skilful Ecuadorian player of Ghanaian descent

GhanaWeb Feature

It’s become very common to see players of Ghanaian descent play for countries in Europe but rarely will you see a Ghanaian player representing a South American country. However, that is the story of John Yeboah Zamora who plays for Ecuador.

As the 2024 Copa América kicked off in the USA, Ghanaians were stunned when a player with the name Yeboah on an Ecuadorian jersey in their game against Venezuela in their group stage game. Despite Ecuador's 2-1 loss, Yeboah showcased his skills, marking his competitive debut with 65 minutes of action.

Yeboah's standout performance continued as he secured a starting spot in Ecuador's 3-1 victory over Jamaica. Operating as an inverted winger on the right flank, with his lightning pace and flair largely contributing to the win.

Early Life and Ties to Ghana

Born in Germany to a Ghanaian father and Ecuadorian mother, Yeboah spent his formative years in Hamburg. This multicultural upbringing offered him a choice of national teams to represent. Despite having strong ties to Germany throughout his youth career, Yeboah ultimately opted to play for his mother's country, Ecuador.

International Career

While Yeboah's decision surprised some, his talent was evident early on. He rose through the ranks of Germany's youth teams, featuring prominently in the U-17 Euros and the 2017 U-17 World Cup.

After 5-years of hoping for a senior call-up, Yeboah decided to opt for Ecuador after the German senior national team turned a blind eye on him.

The player made his debut for Ecuador in March 2024 in a game against Guatemala and scored on his debut. He later capped off his second game for The Tricolors with another goal against Bolivia.

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Yeboah's breakthrough came at Wolfsburg, where he spent five years before turning professional in 2020. During his time in Bundesliga 2, Yeboah scored four goals in just five appearances.

He later moved to Willem II in the Dutch Eredivisie following a loan stint at VVV-Venlo. Despite facing challenges, including two loan spells, he found success in Poland, particularly with Śląsk Wrocław where he scored 10 goals in 32 matches in a single season before securing a transfer to his current club.

His first spell at Raków Częstochowa saw him contribute 3 goals in 30 games.

JNA/EK