Sports
Atletico Madrid’s Thomas Partey …10 things to know about him
Atletico Madrid midfielder, Thomas Partey, is one of the most sought-after players in Europe at the moment.
Following a very impressive season for his club, Partey has been linked all summer with a move to some of the biggest clubs in Europe.
Premier League side Arsenal appear to be the favourites to land a deal for the Ghanaian, having been pursuing him since January.
The English club is, however, reluctant to pay Partey’s €50m release clause and recently had an offer of £23m plus Matteo Guendouzi rejected by Atletico.
The Spanish club is also desperate to keep him and have reportedly offered him an improved contract.
The player is still a bit of an unknown quantity to many Premier League fans off the pitch.
So here are a few things to know about Thomas Partey, posted on the official website of La Liga, as clubs continue to wrangle for his signature.
• He was born in Odumase Krobo (Ghana) on June 13, 1993, and grew up playing in teams from his home town.
• He’s the oldest of eight children in his family.
• His father runs and trains a team in Odumase Krobo, where Thomas started playing until he was nine.
• While playing for that team, his father gave him the nickname “Senegal”, because he reminded him of a friend with the same name.
• After playing for his father’s team, Thomas developed as a footballer in a neighbourhood side while waiting for new opportunities.
• The chance to take a big step up came when Tema Youth, a Ghanaian team from Division Two, spotted him. With them, he earned a promotion play-off to the Ghanaian top-flight.
• His performances were noted by the scouts and glowing reports about his abilities swept through the country. Thomas has said an agent registered interested with him in 2011 despite never having seen him play.
• His agent quickly saw his potential and decided to take him to Spain, where he was given a trial with the Atletico Madrid youth academy. The Rojiblanco coaching staff did not hesitate to sign him.
• In four months, he made the leap from their Under 18s to the Under 19s, and a season later he was already in the ‘Colchonero’ second team. He was loaned out to RCD Mallorca and Almeria before Diego Simeone would give him a run in the first team.
• He has played 26 times for Ghana’s national team, the Black Stars and scored nine goals.
Ashantigold SC has terminated the contracts of three members of its technical team with immediate effect.
The affected officials are head coach and technical director Abdul Karim Zito, assistant coach Ernest Okyere, and goalkeepers’ trainer Robert Dabo.
The decision was announced in a statement signed by the club’s Chief Executive Officer, Edward Kwasi Akuoko.
According to the statement, the decision was taken following a consultative meeting by the Interim Management Committee on Monday, October 26, 2026.
The club says a caretaker coach has been appointed to steer the affairs of the team until a substantive coach/technical director is appointed.
Management expressed gratitude to the affected officials for their contribution and service to the team and wished them well in their future endeavours.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
England captain Harry Kane says it was extra special to be presented with the Ballon d’Or by one of his childhood idols.
Kane made the comment after receiving the prestigious award from former Brazilian striker Ronaldo Nazario.
“Ronaldo was one of my idols growing up,” Kane said.
The Bayern Munich striker described the moment as surreal, being honoured by a player he looked up to as a young footballer.
Kane was announced as the 2026 Ballon d’Or winner on Monday, October 26, at the London Palladium, marking the 70th anniversary of the award and the first time the ceremony was held outside France.
The 33-year-old beat stiff competition from second-placed Kylian Mbappe and Barcelona youngster Lamine Yamal to win his first ever Ballon d’Or.
He becomes the first Englishman to win the coveted individual award in 25 years since Michael Owen in 2001, and only the fifth Englishman ever after Stanley Matthews, Bobby Charlton, Kevin Keegan and Owen.
He is also the first Bayern Munich player to win the award since Karl-Heinz Rummenigge in 1981.
Kane won the award after a remarkable season in which he scored 61 goals in 51 club matches, the most a Bayern player has ever scored in one campaign.
Including England matches, it was 73 goals plus eight assists in 65 matches. His 73 goals is the second-highest single-season total ever behind Lionel Messi’s 82 in 2011-12.
Despite the goal haul, Kane did not win the Champions League or World Cup, with Bayern losing 6-5 on aggregate to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League semi-finals and England losing 2-1 to Argentina in the World Cup semi-final before finishing third.
The award was presented by Brazilian great Ronaldo Nazario, a two-time Ballon d’Or winner himself, adding what was described as a special dimension to Kane’s historic achievement.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
