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 | Inter Milan | ||
| Number | 18 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2005–2006 | Kaaseman | ||
| 2006–2007 | Liberty Professionals | ||
| 2008 | Bellinzona | ||
| 2008 | → Torino | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2008–2012 | Udinese | 114 | (8) |
| 2012–2018 | Juventus | 116 | (14) |
| 2018– | Inter Milan | 13 | (0) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2008– | Ghana[2] | 70 | (4) |
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 12 December 2018 ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 8 September 2018 | |||
Kwadwo "Kojo" Asamoah[3] (/kwəˈdʒoʊ æsəˈmoʊ.ɑː/, kwə-JOH ass-ə-MOH-ah;[needs Twi IPA] born 9 December 1988 in Accra)[4] is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder or defender for Italian club Inter Milan.[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 six consecutive Serie A titles between 2013 and 2018, among other 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]
Contents
1 Club career
1.1 Early career
1.2 Udinese
1.3 Juventus
1.4 Internazionale
2 International career
3 Style of play
4 Career statistics
4.1 Club
4.2 International
4.3 International goals
5 Honours
5.1 Club
5.2 Individual
6 References
7 External links
Club career
Early career
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 himself and became a linch pin 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 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]
In January 2018, it was reported that Asamoah chose not to renew his contract with Juventus, which was set to expire in June later that year.[27] He made his 150th appearance for Juventus in a 0–0 away draw against S.P.A.L. in Serie A, on 17 March.[28]
Internazionale
In July 2018, Lega Serie A's registration confirmed that Asamoah had agreed to become an Inter player in May 2018; the signing was confirmed officially on 2 July.[29] He made his Inter debut on 19 August, in a 1–0 away defeat to Sassuolo, the first match of the 2018–19 Serie A season.[30]
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 dynamic, hardworking, energetic, versatile and tactically intelligent player, Asamoah is primarily known for his pace, strength, stamina, and his outstanding technical characteristics, as well as his ability to read the game; although he primarily serves as a ball-winner, 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. 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 a very agile footballer, with good vision and an ability to make attacking runs and get into good offensive positions from which he can create chances for teammates with throughballs or deliveries into the area from the wing; he is also a neat passer, a powerful striker of the ball from distance, and a skilful dribbler.[31][32][33][34][35] Despite his ability, Asamoah has often been sidelined through injury.[36]
Career statistics
Club
As of match played 11 December 2018.[37][38]
| Team | League | Season | League | Cup1 | Europe2 | Other Cups3 | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
Udinese | Serie A | 2008–09 | 20 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | – | – | 28 | 2 |
2009–10 | 25 | 1 | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 27 | 1 | ||
2010–11 | 38 | 2 | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 39 | 2 | ||
2011–12 | 31 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | – | – | 40 | 3 | ||
| Udinese Total | 114 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 15 | 0 | – | – | 134 | 8 | ||
Juventus | Serie A | 2012–13 | 27 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 36 | 3 |
2013–14 | 34 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 47 | 2 | ||
2014–15 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | ||
2015–16 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | ||
2016–17 | 18 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 0 | ||
2017–18 | 19 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 0 | ||
| Juventus Total | 116 | 4 | 11 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 156 | 5 | ||
Inter Milan | Serie A | 2018–19 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | – | – | 19 | 0 |
| Career totals | 243 | 12 | 16 | 0 | 48 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 309 | 13 | ||
1Includes Coppa Italia.
2Includes UEFA Cup, UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League.
3Includes Supercoppa Italiana.
International
As of 1 September 2014.[2][37]
Ghana national team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Apps | Goals |
| 2009 | 6 | 1 |
| 2010 | 18 | 0 |
| 2011 | 10 | 0 |
| 2012 | 11 | 0 |
| 2013 | 14 | 3 |
| 2014 | 10 | 0 |
| Total | 69 | 4 |
International goals
Scores and results list Ghana's goal tally first.[2]
| No | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 7 June 2009 | Stade du 26 Mars, Bamako, Mali |  Mali | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2. | 20 January 2013 | Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth, South Africa |  DR Congo | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2013 Africa Cup of Nations |
| 3. | 9 February 2013 | Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth, South Africa | Mali | 1–2 | 1–3 | 2013 Africa Cup of Nations |
| 4. | 6 September 2013 | Baba Yara Stadium, Kumasi, Ghana |  Zambia | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification |
Honours
Club
Juventus[37][39]
Serie A: 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18
Coppa Italia: 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18
Supercoppa Italiana: 2012, 2013, 2015
Individual
CAF Most Promising African Player: 2010[39]
Ghana Player of the Year: 2012, 2013[39]
CAF Team of the Year: 2014[40]
Serie A Team of the Year: 2013–14[41]
References
^ "Player Profile". Juventus FC. Retrieved 19 September 2017..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#33aa33;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}
^ abc "Asamoah, Kwadwo". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmerman. Retrieved 24 January 2012.
^ "Kwadwo Kojo Asamoah". Schedecalciatori.it. Archived from the original on 22 September 2013. Retrieved 26 March 2013.
^ "Udinese player profile – Asamoah, Kwadwo". udinese.it. Udinese Calcio. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 24 January 2012.
^ "Asamoah officially Inter's".
^ "Kwadwo Asamoah wins SWAG flagship award". ghanafa.org. Ghana Football Association (GFA). Retrieved 21 September 2013.
^ "Asamoah wins Goal Ghana Player of the Year 2013 Award". goal.com. Goal.com. Retrieved 26 December 2013.
^ "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.
^ "Manchester United tracking Udinese's Kwadwo Asamoah". Daily Mail. 3 November 2011.
^ "Asamoah: We want another go in 2014". FIFA.com. 31 December 2011.
^ "Asamoah and Isla move to Juventu". juventus.com. 2 July 2012.
^ "Juventus confirm signing of Ghana's Kwadwo Asamoah". BBC Sport. 2 July 2012.
^ 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.
^ Riccardo Pratesi (25 August 2012). "Juve facile col Parma: 2-0" (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
^ 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.
^ "Asamoah, an instant idol at Juventus. He is first player from Africa who win Serie A title. Stadium". juventus.com. 25 August 2012.
^ "Juventus buy Ghana's Kwadwo Asamoah outright from Udinese". BBC. 19 June 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
^ 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.
^ Susy Campanale. "Serie A Stats of the Season 2013-14". Football Italia. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
^ "Supercoppa Italiana 2013" (in Italian). Juventus.com. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
^ "Ogbonna e Asamoah ko, in Champions Juve con l'emergenza difesa" (in Italian). Tuttosport. 1 November 2014. Archived from the original on 24 May 2015. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
^ Antonio Guerra (11 May 2015). "Tuttosport - Asamoah torna ad allenarsi in gruppo" (in Italian). Tuttosport. Archived from the original on 24 May 2015. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
^ 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.
^ "Melbourne Victory 1-1 Juventus (pens: 4-3): Bianconeri lose in ICC opener". Goal.com. 23 July 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
^ "Asamoah plays down Juventus defeat". Goal.com. 23 July 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
^ "Rugani and Asamoah out 45 days". Football Italia. 25 September 2016. Retrieved 25 September 2016.
^ "Asamoah to leave Juventus". Football Italia. 25 January 2018. Retrieved 27 January 2018.
^ "Spal-Juve: Talking points". Juventus.com. 18 March 2018. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
^ "Kwadwo Asamoah signs for the Nerazzurri". inter.it. 2 July 2018. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
^ "Sassuolo 1-0 Inter Milan". BBC Sport. 19 August 2018. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
^ "Conosciamoli meglio: Kwadwo Asamoah" (in Italian). Canale Juve.it. Archived from the original on 10 November 2014. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
^ "New beginnings for Massimiliano Allegri's Juventus". Yahoo.com. 18 September 2014. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
^ Monica Valendino (31 December 2016). "Se Pozzo non avesse venduto nessuno…" (in Italian). mondoudinese.it. Retrieved 2 January 2017.
^ Michele Furlan (5 June 2012). "LA TATTICA DEL MERCATO: Juventus, Asamoah nel mirino" (in Italian). CalcioMercato.it. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
^ Romeo Agresti (25 October 2015). "La Juventus ritrova vittoria e Asamoah, 'jolly' prezioso per Allegri" (in Italian). Yahoo.com. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
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^ abc "K. Asamoah". Soccerway. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
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^ "Glo-CAF awards 2014 winners". Ahram. 9 January 2015. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
^ "Serie A, Gran Galà del Calcio Aic. Tutte le frasi e i premi". www.tuttosport.com (in Italian). Tuttosport. 15 December 2014. Archived from the original on 15 April 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
External links
 | Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kwadwo Asamoah. |
- Official website
Profile on Juventus website
Profile on Lega Serie A Calcio website
Kwadwo Asamoah – FIFA competition record (archive)
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