Sports Minister urges more investors in Ghana football after Accra Lions-Lothar Matthaus partnership
Ghana’s Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif has clamored for more investors into Ghana football following Accra Lions partnership with Germany football legend Lothar Mathaus.
The 62-year-old was unveiled as co-owner of the Ghanaian club on Tuesday at the Kempinski Hotel in Accra.
The ownership group now consists of Matthaus, Ghanaian football star Frank Acheampong, and renowned football agent Oliver Konig. This purchase comes with a reported valuation of around €2 million.
Speaking at the unveiling ceremony, Mustapha Ussif hailed the partnership between Accra Lions and Lothar Mathaus and therefore called for more investors into Ghana football.
“It’s a great milestone that you have achieved for yourself and also legendary, Lothar Mathaus I have been watching you around six-years for the thing that you did for Germany. You are my fun and I have been following your numerous achievement and everything”
“We congratulate you for this big investment that you are doing for Ghana football and we are very grateful for this. We want to appeal to others to emulate what you are doing by investing in this partnership and making sure that we develop talents for mother Ghana and also for our clubs
“Accra Lions have a very big achievement, they started not long ago as compared to other clubs like Hearts of Oak and Kotoko but they’ve already made a mark in Ghana football. So this is a very big step that you have taken and we are very grateful for this” he said.
Matthäus capped 150 times for Germany and won the Ballon D’or and FIFA World Player of the Year Award in 1990 while plying trade at Italian Serie A giants Inter Milan.
He played an instrumental role in West Germany’s 1990 FIFA World Cup triumph.
The former Germany international is regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of all time, and was renowned for his perceptive passing, positional sense, well-timed tackling, as well as powerful shooting.
During his playing, the 62-year-old had stints with Bayern Munich, Inter Milan other top clubs.