Laadi Issaka: Meet the former Ghana football star who is now a referee and coach in the US

Most footballers tend to favor careers in coaching after bidding farewell to the game. The situation on the side of Ghanaian female footballers is slightly different as some go into business and others resort to joining the security services in Ghana.

The situation of Laadi Issaka is different as the 26-year-old ex-footballer now officiates youth soccer in the United States and manages female football teams.

Picking inspiration from former Ghanaian international, ex-referee, and coach, Mercy Tagoe who started as a footballer before venturing into referring and then coaching, Iassaka has chosen the same part as she now officiates Youth Soccer League in the United States and also doubles as a coach.

Laadi Issaka is a certified referee, having obtained her License from the Mississippi Soccer Association in June 2023.

Ghanaweb looks at the profile of Laadi from her days in Ghana, from playing professional football at the national level to the elite level.

Born in the Northern part of Ghana, Laadi started playing in Ghana before securing an educational scholarship to study at the Mississippi Valley State University in 2014 for her Bachelors's. She also pursued a Master of Science (Sports Administration) in 2020

She was part of Ghana's Black Maidens team that participated in the 2014 FIFA Under-17 Women's World Cup in Costa Rica where Ghana exited from the quarter-finals and was also part of Ghana's bronze-winning team during the 2012 FIFA Under-17 Women's World Cup in Azerbaijan.

During her exploits with Mississippi University, notable among the accolades she grabbed was the 2018 best offensive player in the Southwestern Athletic Conference in the USA, NCAA-AASP (National Collegiate Athletics Association Accelerating Academic Success Program) winner in 2018.

Also, Laadi Issaka was the 2016-17 NCAA Division I statistical champion for Points Per Game and Goals Per Game. During the 2015-16 season, she was the NCAA Division I women’s soccer statistical champion for Assists Per Game.

Currently, Issaka is the Head Coach of Delta Red Bulls, where she heads the U12,13 Girls club teams and assists the U9 girls’ team.

Check the tweet below:

Ghanaian international and former Black Maidens and Black Princesses world cup star, @IssakaLaadi on officiating duties in the Youth Soccer Competition far away USA.

Laadi Issaka, part of Didi Dramani's Bronze Winning squad at the Azerbaijan U-17 World Cup. pic.twitter.com/MnbKX7Nn17

— George Duah (@georgeduah_) July 25, 2023