Kwadwo Asamoah (pronounced /kwəˈdʒoʊ æsəˈmoʊ.ɑː/) is a former professional Ghanaian footballer, born on December 9, 1988, in Kumasi, Ghana. Standing at 1.73m (5 ft 8 in), Asamoah was renowned for his versatility, primarily playing as a left midfielder, left-back, and occasionally as a central midfielder.
Club Career
Early Years
Asamoah was discovered while playing for a local club and was introduced to Alhaji Sly Tetteh, the former CEO of Liberty Professionals. His professional career began at:
- Deportivo FC (until 2005)
- Kaaseman F.C. (2005-2006)
- Liberty Professionals (2006-2007)
- Bellinzona (Switzerland) (2008)
- Torino (on loan) (2008)
Udinese (2008-2012)
In June 2008, Asamoah signed with Serie A club Udinese, where he quickly established himself as a key player for both club and country. Following impressive performances at the 2010 World Cup and African Cup of Nations, he became a target for several top European clubs. During his four seasons at Udinese, Asamoah:
- Made 114 Serie A appearances, scoring 8 goals
- Totaled 134 appearances across all competitions with 8 goals
Juventus (2012-2018)
In July 2012, Asamoah and teammate Mauricio Isla transferred to Juventus for €9 million for 50% of Asamoah’s contract. He debuted on August 11, 2012, in the Supercoppa Italiana against Napoli, scoring once as Juventus won 4-2 after extra time. Due to his impressive performance, manager Antonio Conte gave him a starting position in the first Serie A match of the 2012-13 season against Parma (August 25, 2012), where he immediately made an impact by assisting Stephan Lichtsteiner.
Achievements at Juventus:
- 116 Serie A appearances, scoring 4 goals
- Six consecutive Serie A championships (2013-2018)
- Career affected by several injuries:
- Serious knee injury in November 2014, causing him to miss most of the 2014-15 season
- Ruptured the cartilage meniscus in his right knee in September 2016
- Captained Juventus in the opening match of the 2016 International Champions Cup in Australia
- Reached the milestone of 150 appearances for Juventus in March 2018
Inter Milan (2018-2020)
In July 2018, Asamoah joined Inter Milan after declining to renew his contract with Juventus. He made his Inter debut on August 19 in a 0-1 loss to Sassuolo in the opening match of the 2018-19 Serie A season. At Inter Milan, he:
- Made 40 Serie A appearances (without scoring)
- Totaled 53 appearances across all competitions
Cagliari (2021)
On February 3, 2021, Asamoah signed with Cagliari until June 30, 2021. He debuted for the club on February 28 in a 2-0 win over Crotone. In this match, he became the African player with the most appearances in Serie A history, with 271 matches, surpassing his compatriot Sulley Muntari (270 matches).
Career club summary:
- 279 Serie A appearances with 12 goals
- 357 appearances across all competitions with 13 goals and 33 assists
International Career
Asamoah made his debut for the Ghana national team on February 11, 2009, under French coach Claude Le Roy. His international achievements include:
- 74 appearances for Ghana, scoring 4 goals
- Participated in 4 Africa Cup of Nations tournaments (2008, 2010, 2012, 2013)
- Bronze medal at the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations
- Silver medal at the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations
- Competed in 2 World Cups (2010, 2014)
- Helped Ghana reach the quarter-finals of the 2010 World Cup
- The only Ghanaian player to participate in all international matches in 2010
Playing Style
Asamoah was a left-footed player with tactical flexibility. His best qualities were his dynamism and physical strength, combined with good basic technique and excellent timing of movement, making him a valuable player in both phases of the game.
Initially a central midfielder, he later established himself as a left midfielder in a 5-midfielder formation under Antonio Conte at Juventus. Manager Massimiliano Allegri described him as “one of those horses that stands still for a long time, and as soon as they have the chance, they start again at maximum speed.”
Achievements and Honors
- Six consecutive Serie A championships with Juventus (2013-2018)
- Most Promising African Player of 2010
- Ghana Player of the Year in 2012 and 2013
- Ranked 27th best football player in the world in 2013 by Bloomberg
- Supercoppa Italiana champion in 2012
Retirement
On October 5, 2022, Asamoah officially announced his retirement from professional football. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest Ghanaian midfielders of all time.