John Mensah

French football called John Mensah the "Rock of Gibraltar". In November 2006 France Football rated the Rennes centre-back the best player in Ligue 1, level with Lyon's Juninho, and four years later he captained Ghana to the quarter-finals of the World Cup.

Early career

He was born in Obuasi on 29 November 1982 and left Ghana young, joining Bologna's youth set-up from MBC Accra in 2000. He played in Switzerland for Bellinzona and on loan at Genoa, then spent four years on the books of Chievo, with loans at Modena and Cremonese.

Rennes, Lyon and Sunderland

Rennes took him on loan in January 2006 and signed him that April. His form there made him Ghana Footballer of the Year for 2006, and he was made club captain in January 2008. Lyon signed him that July on a five-year deal for a reported €8.4 million, but he played only 13 league games there. He spent two seasons on loan at Sunderland from 2009, then returned briefly to Rennes before short spells with Asante Kotoko, FC Nitra in Slovakia and AFC Eskilstuna in Sweden.

Black Stars

He won 86 caps between 2001 and 2012 and played at several Africa Cup of Nations tournaments and the 2006 and 2010 World Cups, wearing the armband in South Africa in 2010. He was also part of Ghana's team at the 2004 Athens Olympics. In February 2009 he was racially abused by Le Havre supporters during a Lyon match; a fan later admitted the abuse.