Cynthia Konlan

Cynthia Konlan is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper and serves as vice-captain of the Black Queens, Ghana's senior women's national team. In November 2026 she was nominated for CAF Women's Goalkeeper of the Year.

Early life

Her full name is Cynthia Konlan Findib, and she was born on 29 November 2002. She found her position by chance at basic school: during a physical education lesson she and her sister both wanted to keep goal, and the teacher picked Cynthia because she was taller. At 14 she joined Pearl Pia Ladies, where she played from 2016 to 2022.

Club career

In September 2022 she moved to Malta to sign for Swieqi United in the Maltese Women's First Division. She won the Assikura Women's Knock-Out Cup with the club and was named Goalkeeper of the Year by the Malta Football Players Association for 2022-23, and in May 2023 she extended her contract. In August 2023 she joined Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia on a one-year loan. Ghanaian reports from late 2025 placed her at Samartex Ladies, and in December 2025 national team coach Kim Lars Bjorkegren said clubs in England and the United States had shown interest in her.

International career

Konlan played for Ghana at the 2018 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup and the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Costa Rica. She was first called up to the senior team for a friendly against Morocco in April 2022 and made her debut against Benin on 19 February 2023.

She was Ghana's first-choice goalkeeper at the Women's Africa Cup of Nations held in Morocco in July 2025. In the quarter-final against Algeria, which ended goalless, she saved two penalties in the shoot-out to send Ghana into the semi-finals for the first time since 2016. Ghana then beat South Africa on penalties to take the bronze medal. In August 2025 the Ghana Football Association named her one of two deputy captains, alongside Jennifer Cudjoe, under captain Portia Boakye.

In March 2026 she was named Best Goalkeeper at the Pink Ladies Cup in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, after keeping two clean sheets in two matches.

2026 CAF Awards

On 3 November 2026 Konlan was shortlisted for CAF Women's Goalkeeper of the Year. The Black Queens also received a CAF National Team of the Year nomination, and Portia Boakye made the list for Women's Player of the Year.