Michael Essien is a retired professional footballer from Ghana. He was born on December 3, 1982, in Accra, Ghana. Essien is widely regarded as one of the best midfielders of his generation, known for his physicality, versatility, and powerful playing style.
Essien began his professional career with Liberty Professionals in Ghana before moving to Europe to join French club Bastia in 2000. He subsequently played for Lyon in France and gained prominence as an exceptional box-to-box midfielder. His performances attracted the attention of top clubs, and in 2005, he joined Chelsea FC in the English Premier League.
During his time at Chelsea, Essien became a key player and played a crucial role in the club’s success. He won multiple domestic and international titles with Chelsea, including two English Premier League titles, four FA Cups, and the UEFA Champions League in the 2011-2012 season.
After leaving Chelsea in 2014, Essien played for several clubs including Real Madrid on loan, AC Milan, and Panathinaikos. He also represented the Ghana national team, earning over 50 caps and participating in multiple Africa Cup of Nations tournaments and FIFA World Cups.
In 2018, Essien announced his retirement from professional football. Since then, he has been involved in various activities related to football, including coaching and ambassadorial roles. Essien’s contributions to the game and his impressive career have made him one of Ghana’s most successful footballers and a respected figure in the world of football.
Who Is Michael Essien
Michael Kojo Essien is a Ghanaian former professional football player who played as a midfielder and is currently a member of Danish Superliga club FC Nordsjælland’s coaching staff. During his prime, he was considered one of the best midfielders in Africa. He started playing football for the youth team of Liberty Professionals in 1998. He then played for Bastia, Lyon, Chelsea, Real Madrid (loan), Milan, Panathinaikos, Persib Bandung, and Sabail.
He spent most of his professional career at Chelsea where he made over 250 appearances for the club, scoring over 20 goals and providing over 15 assists in all the competitions. At Chelsea, he helped the club win the Premier League in 2006 and 2010, as well as four FA Cups, one League Cup, and FA Community Shield. He won the UEFA Champions League in 2012, while also placing as runner-up in the 2008 UEFA Champions League.
On the international level, he has represented Ghana at various age levels. At the youth level, he represented his country at the 1999 FIFA U-17 World Championship and 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship, with the latter team finishing as runner-up. He made his international team debut for Ghana on 4 January 2002.
He has represented his nation at three Africa Cup of Nations tournaments and at the 2006 and 2014 FIFA World Cups. In July 2018, he has announced his retirement from international football, after over 12 years of active service with Ghana. He played 59 times for the Ghana national team between 2002 and 2014 where he scored 9 goals for his nation.
Facts About Michael Essien
| Celebrated Name | Michael Essien |
|---|---|
| Age | 40 Years Old |
| Nick Name | The Bison |
| Birth Name | Michael Kojo Essien |
| Birth Date | 1982-12-03 |
| Gender | Male |
| Profession | Football Coach |
| Nationality | Ghanaian |
| Birth Nation | Ghana |
| Place Of Birth | Accra, Ghana |
| Horoscope | Sagittarius |
| Ethnicity | African |
| Religion | Christianity |
| School | Gomoa Nyanyano DC Primary and JSS |
| College / University | St. Augustine’s College |
| Career Start | 1998 |
| Awards | 2004-05 Ligue 1 Player of the Year, 2006 BBC African Footballer of the Year, 2007 Ghana Player of the Year, etc. |
| Father | James Essien |
| Mother | Aba Gyandoh |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Wife | Akosua Puni Essien |
| Children | Michael Essien Jr and Michelle Essien |
| Height | 5 ft. 10 inches |
| Weight | 85kg |
| Body Type | Alethic |
| Eye Color | Black |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Sexual Orientation | Straight |
| Source of Wealth | Football Career |
| Net Worth | $35 Million |
| Position | Midfielder |
| Links | Facebook Twitter Instagram |
What is Michael Essien Famous For?
- Being a professional football player.
Honors
- Won 2003-04, 2004-05 Ligue 1 with Lyon.
- Won 2003, 2004 Trophee de Champions with Lyon.
- Won the 2005-06, 2009-10 Premier League with Chelsea.
- Won the 2006-07, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2011-12 FA Cup with Chelsea.
- Won the 2006-07 Football League Cup with Chelsea.
- Won the 2009 FA Community Shield with Chelsea.
- Won the 2011-12 UEFA Champions League with Chelsea.
Individual
- Won the 2004-05 Ligue 1 Player of the Year.
- Won the 2006 BBC African Footballer of the Year.
- Won the 2007 Ghana Player of the Year.
- Won the 2006-07 Chelsea Player of the Year.
- Won the Chelsea Goal of the Year: 2006-07 vs Arsenal, 2008-09 vs Barcelona.
Where is Michael Essien From?
Michael Kojo Essien was born on 3 December 1982. His birthplace is Accra, Ghana. He was born to his father, James Essien, and his mother, Aba Gyandoh. He attended Gomoa Nyanyano DC Primary and JSS n Ghana. He holds Ghanaian nationality. He belongs to the African ethnicity. His religion is Christianity. His horoscope sign is Sagittarius.
Michael Essien Club Career
- He began his football career after graduating from St. Augustine’s College in Cape Coast, playing at a local club called Liberty Professionals in 1998.
- On 30 August 2000, he was signed by Division 1 club Bastia for an undisclosed fee. He made his debut for the club on 30 September 2000 in a 1-0 win against Metz. On 7 February 2001, he scored his first goal for the club in a 3-2 loss against Metz.
- He spend three seasons at Bastia where he made 74 appearances for the club, scoring 12 goals in all the competitions.
- On 1 July 2003, he joined Lyon for a reported transfer fee of €7.8 million. Upon his arrival, he was assigned the number 4 shirt. He scored on his debut for the club on 27 July 2003 in a 2-1 win against Auxerre in the final of the 2003 Trophee des Champions.
- He spend two seasons at Lyon where he made 96 appearances for the club, scoring 13 goals in all the competitions. At Lyon, he won back-to-back league titles in 2003-04 and 2004-05 and won Ligue 1 Player of the Year in 2005.
- On 14 August 2005, he signed for Premier League club Chelsea for a £24.4 million transfer fee where at the time of his signing, he was the most expensive African footballer in history. He made his debut for the club on 21 August 2005 in a 1-0 win against Arsenal, wearing the number 5 on his shirt. On 11 March 2006, he scored his first goal for the club in a 2-1 win against Spurs.
- He spent most of his professional career at Chelsea where he made over 250 appearances for the club, scoring over 20 goals and providing over 15 assists in all the competitions. At Chelsea, he helped the club win the Premier League in 2006 and 2010, as well as four FA Cups, one League Cup, and FA Community Shield. He won the UEFA Champions League in 2012, while also placing as runner-up in the 2008 UEFA Champions League. He has won the Chelsea Goal of the Season award twice, in the 2006-07 and 2008-09 seasons.
- On 31 August 2012, he signed a season-long loan deal with Real Madrid, reuniting him with his former manager at Chelsea, Jose Mourinho. He made his debut for the club on 18 August 2012 in a 3-2 win against Manchester City in the group stage match of 2012-13 UEFA Champions League. On 3 November 2012, he scored his first goal for the club in a 4-0 win against Real Zaragoza. During his loan spell at Real Madrid, he made 35 appearances for the club, scoring 2 goals and providing 1 assist in all the competitions.
- On 25 January 2015, he signed for Italian club Milan on a one-and-a-half-year contract. He made his debut for the club on 8 February 2014 in a 3-1 loss against SSC Napoli. In his first season, he made 7 appearances for the club in all the competitions.
- During his 2014-15 season, he made 13 appearances for the club in all the competitions.
- On 2 June 2015, he signed a two-year contract with the Greek club Panathinaikos. The deal made him the club’s highest-paid player, with an annual salary of €800,000. He spent the first three months of the season recovering from a leg injury. He made his debut for the club on 28 November 2015 in a 1-0 loss to Iraklis. On 24 January 2016, he scored his first goal for the club in a 2-0 win against APO Levadiakos. In his first season, he made 15 appearances for the club, scoring once in all the competitions.
- After a season in Greece, he was omitted from Panathinaikos’ squad for the 2016-17 season, with the expectation he would be released from his contract. His termination by the club was confirmed almost three months later after the two parties reached a mutual agreement over his release.
- After the agreement was reached and he was released from his contract, the club failed to remit the money owed to him and he appealed to the competent court for football affairs in Greece, which ordered Panathinaikos to pay him the outstanding sum of about €36,000 or face the deduction of three points in the coming 2018/19 competition.
- On 13 March 2017, he joined the Indonesian club side Persib Bandung, signing a one-year contract with an option to extend for an additional year. He took the number 5 shirt for the 2017 Liga 1 season, the same number he wore during his nine years at Chelsea. He made his debut for the club on 15 April 2017 in a 0-0 draw to Arema Cronus. On 22 April 2017, he scored his first goal for the club in a 2-2 draw to PS TNI. During his 2016-17 season, he made 29 appearances for the club, scoring 5 goals and providing 1 assist in all the competitions.
- On 17 March 2018, Persib’s club chief executive, Zainuri Hasyim said that Persib has now released him because the club already filling their maximum quota of four foreign players based on the PSSI’s regulation.
- On 16 March 2019, he signed a one-and-a-half-year contract with Sabail FK of the Azerbaijan Premier League where he made 11 appearances for the club in all the competitions.
- He retired from active playing in 2020 while playing for Sabail FK, after the end of the 2019-20 season.
Michael Essien International Career
- He has represented Ghana at various age levels.
- At the youth level, he represented his country at the 1999 FIFA U-17 World Championship and 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship, with the latter team finishing as runner-up.
- He made his international team debut for Ghana on 4 January 2002.
- He has represented his nation at three Africa Cup of Nations tournaments and at the 2006 and 2014 FIFA World Cups.
- In July 2018, he has announced his retirement from international football, after over 12 years of active service with Ghana.
- He played 59 times for the Ghana national team between 2002 and 2014 where he scored 9 goals for his nation.
Michael Essien Wife
Looking at his personal life, he is a married guy. He got married to his beautiful girlfriend, Akosua Puni Essien in September 2012 at a private ceremony in London. The couple is blessed with two children: Michael Essien Jr and Michelle Essien. He has an intimate relationship with his wife and children where they are living their life happily together.
Michael Essien Height and Weight
Michael Essien stands at a height of 1.78m i.e. 5 feet and 10 inches tall. He has a bodyweight of 85kg. He has an athletic body build. His eye color and hair color are black. His sexual orientation is straight.
Michael Essien Net Worth and Salary
Michael Essien is a retired professional footballer who had played for clubs like Bastia, Lyon, Chelsea, Real Madrid (loan), Milan, Panathinaikos, Persib Bandung, and Sabail. He has earned from his professional career as a football player and now earns from his professional career as a football coach. His income is from contracts, salaries, bonuses, and endorsements. As of 2021, his estimated net worth of $35 million where his salary is not revealed yet. Any updates on his salary will be updated here soon.
Trivias About Michael Essien You Need To Know.
- He is a retired professional footballer who had played for clubs like Bastia, Lyon, Chelsea, Real Madrid (loan), Milan, Panathinaikos, Persib Bandung, and Sabail.
- During his prime, he was considered one of the best midfielders in Africa.
- He spent most of his professional career at Chelsea where he made over 250 appearances for the club, scoring over 20 goals and providing over 15 assists in all the competitions.
- At Chelsea, he helped the club win the Premier League in 2006 and 2010, as well as four FA Cups, one League Cup, and FA Community Shield. He won the UEFA Champions League in 2012, while also placing as runner-up in the 2008 UEFA Champions League.
Michael Essien Cars.
The word, Football is arguably one of the money making professions in the world as years pass by many people keep on investing in the game to make it attractive and rich as well. Football stars really flaunt their wealth to make us aware of how the job has become rich and sucking.
Michael Essien is one of the most arduous forces when it comes to the world of football and has achieved much in his entire career.
Michael was once the most expensive defending midfielder in Africa when he was signed to Chelsea football club at the time of his peak.
He was one of the inbuilt players in the Ghana national team and has really contributed to the well-being and success of the national teams both senior and junior.
His special skills in defense really puzzled many and created a reputation of a tough and aggressive defender which sees him be named “The Bulldozer”
Even after his move to his current club Persib Bandung, he remains one of the most respected African footballers.
Essien is currently the highest paid footballer in the Indonesian league and has many endorsement deals with big companies such as Adidas. Notwithstanding his several investments in Ghana.
Michael ‘The Bulldozer’ loves to enjoy himself in luxurious cars and houses. There are several posh cars in his garage including an Audi Q7, Astorn Martin etc.
He lives in a powerful, massive and indeed luxurious house which any average income earner will really sweat to build both in London and Ghana.
Here is a guide to Michael Essien’s properties:
The Ghanaian football legend has really a great taste for cars. Here is a list of Michael Essien cars:
Audi Q7
The luxurious Audi Q7 car was given to Michael as a gift from the grand sponsors – the Audi Company while he was playing for Real Madrid.
The car has a 6-cylinder engine with a horsepower of 333. It is equipped with automated technological features.
Porsche Cayenne
The Porsche Cayenne is a brand new car purchased by the football star recently. It has a beautiful and sleek design.
The car can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 6 seconds. It has a V6 engine with a horsepower of 300.
Ranger Rover Vogue
Unfortunately, this Range Rover Vogue car was sent away by thieves who invaded his London home. The car had a 4.4-liter TDV8 diesel engine with an 8-speed automatic transmission.
The car had been furnished with ultra-modern features to increase the safety during driving. The police commented that investigations were underway to retrieve the car.
Astorn Martin
Astorn Martin is one of the most luxurious and expensive cars in the world. It has a 6-liter V12 engine with a horsepower of 450. It has a unique and sleek design.
The car is estimated to cost an arm and a leg. But it is worth it for this Ghanaian football legend.
Michael Essien House
The football star has some luxurious houses in London and back home in Ghana.
Michael Essien owns a luxurious house in Cobham in the United Kingdom, and it is estimated to be purchased at $1.5 million. The house lies in one of United Kingdom’s top residential areas with a beautiful prospect of the town. The mansion has a spacious parking space and it’s a short distance from the town.
Unfortunately, his house has over the years been invaded by robbers. Recently, thieves burst into his house and sent away some worthy items and a Range Rover Vogue and this came as a top up to the list of a Mercedes Benz and BMW that were also stolen before.
As a sign of security, the star has recently kept a low profile on showcasing his houses to the public.