Kevin-Prince Boateng

Kevin-Prince Boateng built one of the most colourful, globe-trotting careers in modern football, and gave Ghana one of its most memorable World Cup subplots. A powerful, technically gifted midfielder, he chose the Black Stars over Germany and never looked back.

Early life

He was born on 6 March 1987 in Berlin, Germany, to a Ghanaian father and a German mother. He and his half-brother Jerome grew up in the same city but on different football paths; Jerome would go on to star for Germany, Kevin-Prince for Ghana.

Club career

He began at Hertha BSC in Berlin before a move to Tottenham Hotspur and a spell at Portsmouth, where he tasted English football. The defining chapter came at AC Milan, which he joined after the 2010 World Cup and where he won the Serie A title in 2011 and the Italian Super Cup. His long career also took in Genoa, Schalke, Eintracht Frankfurt, Barcelona and beyond, a true footballing nomad.

Ghana and the 2010 World Cup

Having played for Germany's youth teams, he switched allegiance to Ghana ahead of the 2010 World Cup. He started all five of Ghana's games as they reached the quarter-finals, and in the group stage faced his half-brother Jerome when Ghana met Germany, one of the tournament's most talked-about family stories.

Legacy

He played 15 times for Ghana between 2010 and 2014. Beyond the trophies, Boateng became known as an outspoken campaigner against racism in football, walking off the pitch in protest during a 2013 match, a stand that had lasting influence on the game.