The son of a fisherman, Christian Atsu never got caught in the trap of fame.
His humble beginnings meant that the Ghanaian midfielder, who was killed in the recent earthquakes that devastated Turkey and Syria, tried to use his success to help others in their lives.
His generous and charitable nature led one of his former international teammates to describe Atsu as “one in a million”.
“He helped a lot of people solve problems, gave money to people in need,” John Paintsil told BBC Sport Africa.
“Atsu’s thinking is good, so he can come up with different ideas.
“He is cheerful and creative, like a movie star,” added the former Fulham and West Ham defender.
“We have lost a great soul. He was one in a million because he sometimes put others before himself.”
‘Ghanaian Messi’
Perhaps the highlight of Atsu’s international career came at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Equatorial Guinea where he scored twice in the final which Ivory Coast won on penalties.
However, the left-footed midfielder picked up two awards for best goal and best player of the tournament.
“He is a joy to be with and a good friend, someone with a lot of skill and quality,” said Kwesi Appiah, who played alongside Atsu at the 2015 Afcon.
“He is nicknamed the Messi of Ghana because of his style and also the way we rely on him as a team,” said the former Crystal Palace striker.
“He is an incredible player and I am very happy to have shared some special moments with him on the pitch.”
In total, Atsu represented his country 62 times, scoring 10 goals.
“Away from football, he was very caring and supportive and would help anyone,” Appiah said.
“They will light up any room.”
From fishing in Ghana to finding nets in Europe
Atsu was born in January 1992 in Ada Foah, a town on the southeastern coast of Ghana, where the Volta River joins the Atlantic Ocean to create a delta that allowed his late father to make a living fishing and farming.
Growing up, he shared a cramped bedroom with his mother, twin sister Christiana and four other siblings.
Like other African children, football is their dream ticket out of poverty.
Atsu cut his teeth at local club Cheetah FC and Feyenoord Fetteh – the African academy of Dutch side Feyenoord – before moving to Portuguese giants FC Porto in 2009.
Atsu was only 17 when he arrived in Portugal, initially struggling to break into the first team.
But a successful loan spell at Rio Ave saw him finally make his breakthrough at his parent club during the 2012/13 campaign.
Making his 25th appearance in all competitions for Porto, he also played every game as Ghana finished fourth at the Afcon in South Africa, convincing Chelsea to beat them in September 2013.
But the move to London, for a reported fee of £3.5 million, did not go as planned as Atsu never played a senior game for the Blues.
However, he was part of Chelsea’s loan army, with temporary spells in the Netherlands, England and Spain at Vitesse Arnhem, Everton, Bournemouth and Malaga.
But his short-term club career did not affect Atsu’s performance on the international stage; this is the time to shine so brightly for the Black Stars in the 2015 Afcon.
During another loan spell, Atsu helped Newcastle United win promotion back to the Premier League, scoring in a game that immediately returned them to England’s top flight.
The move was made permanent.
“He was a very gentle man, quite gentle,” said BBC Radio Newcastle commentator Matthew Raisbeck, who remembers Atsu from his successful promotion campaign.
“(He was) often picked by Rafa Benitez and Steve Bruce [both former Newcastle managers] because of his hard work in training and his very high level of physical fitness.”
After five years at St James’ Park, Atsu endured an injury-hit season in Saudi Arabia with Al-Raed before joining Turkish Super Lig club Hatayspor in September last year.
Christian Atsu’s body returned to Ghana
In a twist of fate, he scored the winning goal in the 97th minute of Hatayspor’s match against Kasimpasa just hours before the first earthquake claimed his life.
He is 31 years old.
‘People are so unique and wonderful’
But perhaps Atsu’s greatest success is that he lives a life that is completely different from the bling stereotypes associated with modern footballers.
He returned to Cheetah FC, where he learned his trade, donating boots and other items to Ghana’s second-tier team’s academy.
He also focuses on the rehabilitation of criminals, people who are desperate for food and eventually convicted of petty crimes.
Atsu believes that prison should not destroy people and he is responsible for reuniting some poor families in Ghana after paying thousands of dollars in fines and bail money.
In one instance, he helped free a 62-year-old grandmother and her daughter, imprisoned for stealing two dollars worth of corn to feed the family.
He gave some prisoners money to start businesses and also upgraded the football field in Awutu Prison.
But Atsu’s philanthropy is not limited to helping those in trouble with the law.
“They are providers, super creatures like that,” Ellie Milner, head of Arms Around the Child, told the BBC when asked about the midfielder’s work with vulnerable children.
“When he visited the children, he would come and take off his shoes and play barefoot.
“They will accept him like a hero, but also like a father, uncle or brother.”
Atus has been an ambassador for the charity since 2016 and is the main benefactor of Ghanaian schools that support abandoned children, orphans, chronically ill and those rescued from trafficking.
“They are very unique and wonderful,” added Milner.
“One of the nicest, most talented, humble people to ever walk this world.”
“His legacy will live on in the hundreds, if not thousands of lives he has saved.”
Source: BBC
| Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are those of the authors and do not reflect Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no legal or other responsibility for the accuracy of the content. Please report inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a priority. |
Featured Videos