Ghana Football legend, Wilberforce Mfum, says despite all his years of service to the nation he would have been poverty-stricken if he had not traveled abroad to seek greener pastures.
The former Asante Kotoko legend stated that during his era, football was all about passion.
He explained that the game at the time did not pay much juxtaposing it to the current generation where players earn millions in their careers.
Speaking in an interview on Happy 98.9FM’s Where Are They program? on his career, Mfum said, “I didn’t get anything after all my service to the nation. If I had not traveled abroad to seek greener pastures, I would have been poor by now. After everything we have done for the country when we go to the stadium for games, they even charge us to pay. We have complained to the new FA that at least they should even accredit us or give us a card to identify us when we go to the match venues, but still nothing”
Mfum explained that you will realize it is not worth serving the country after you have retired from the game.
“At the time of serving the country you won’t realize it but when you finish servicing that is when you will regret representing Ghana. We didn’t make a lot of money whilst we were playing like the current generation of players”.
The 85-year-old was part of the Ghana team that lifted the 1963 Africa Cup of Nations title and also emerged as the second top scorer at the 1968 Africa Cup of Nations tournament.
The Asante Kotoko legend played the Black Stars for 13 years before hanging up his boots.
He also had stints with Ukrainian SC and New York Cosmos.
