Michael Essien is a retired Ghanaian professional footballer. Essien is one of the most successful footballers from Africa in his generation.  He was born on the 3rd of December 1882 in the capital of Ghana, Accra.

He started his professional career in France playing for the Bastia and Lyon clubs before moving to England to play for Chelsea in 2005.  He was quick to establish himself as one of the great midfielders in the league and whilst there, Chelsea won two premier league titles, four FA Cups and the UEFA Champions League.   Essien has also played for Real Madrid, AC Milan and Panathinaikos.  Representing Ghana on the world stage, he also played for the national team in the FIFA World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations.    Post retirement, Essien has embarked on business and philanthropic work, establishing a foundation to support education and health in Africa.  He is also a strong supporter of tourism in Ghana.

Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Essien