Stars gather for Appiah’s farewell

Some of africa’s finest football stars and some European players are expected to join former Black Stars captain, Stephen Appiah as he makes his final bow from the game tomorrow at the Accra Stadium.

On the hollowed grounds where he caught national attention as a precocious star for Accra Hearts of Oak over two decades ago, Appiah will big an emotional farewell to hordes of fans who supported him throughout a football odyssey which saw seen him ply his trade with nine clubs on three continents with nine clubs.

After racking-up a combined 255 club appearances and 41 goals for Hearts of Oak, Udinese, Parma, Brescia, Juventus, Fernabache, Bologna, Cesena and Vojvodina, as well as 67 appearances and 14 goals for the Black Stars, the former Juventus ace has won a lot of admirers on and off the pitch and will be in good company for his testimonial match.

The adored star, who led Ghana to its maiden FIFA World Cup in 2006, will captain a "Stephen Appiah XI" featuring teammates from his former clubs as well as his peers against the current national team. Star names expected to feature for the Appiah XI include Richard Kingson, Laryea Kingston, John Paintsil, Aaron Mokoena, Pavel Nedved, Samuel Eto’o, Alessandro Del Piero, Didier Drogba, George Oppong Weah, Emmanuel Adebayor, among others.

Black Stars skipper, Asamoah Gyan and his deputy Andre Dede Ayew have promised to give-off their best as they bid farewell to a great leader who mentored a legion of young players during his tenure as skipper.

The celebration of his stellar 17-year career as a professional starts this evening at the Banquet Hall of the State House when the football icon hosts the crème de la crème of Ghanaian society, including President John Dramani Mahama, to a fund-raising dinner to raise GH¢10 million for Appiah’s charity work.