It was remarkably historical when Majeed Waris picked his Ghana jersey in the dugout, ready to play his first international game against Chile in a friendly, at the PPL Park in Chester, Pennsylvania.
Waris, who was a supporter of the team during the 2008 AFCON, hosted in Ghana, now a player of the team he has been supporting. Amazing isn’t it?
Very young and naïve at that time, Waris was among a group of U15 stars of Right To Dream Academy who had been taken to the Accra Sports Stadium to watch Ghana’s clash with the Super Eagles of Nigeria at the quarter final stage of the competition.
“That was the first time we watched a LIVE game of the Black Stars at the stadium. I still remember that photo with my Ghana hat and a big vuvuzela in my hand supporting the Black Stars” he told me. Such is the inspirational life of the Lorient striker.
Born in Ghana’s Northern Regional capital Tamale, Waris started his career at the Right to Dream Academy when he was twelve.
He moved to England and joined Hartpury College where he had to work in a pantry to raise money for his upkeep as he was not paid and the scholarship he had was only meant for his education.
The Lorient forward was not only good on the field but was brilliant with the head too. He was academically brilliant and that earned him the Hartpury College scholarship. So brilliant he was in class but his desire to play professional football and wear the Black Stars jersey was always his target.
His performance for Hartpury College football team gained prominence when he eventually won the goal king while simultaneously gaining a place at the Nike Academy, where he would go on to feature in the reserves side at Forest Green Rovers.
“We were taken to Sweden for a holiday tour after winning the college league and that was where my dream was re-lived. I was spotted by Hacken and they swiftly signed me,” Waris narrated.
In October 2009, Waris signed a four-year contract with Swedish Allsvenskan side BK Häcken for an undisclosed fee.
He made his debut in March 2010 as a substitute for Dominic Chatto, in a 4–2 home win against Trelleborgs FF.
In May 2012, he netted his first hat-trick, scoring five goals, in a 6–0 home win against IFK Norrköping becoming the first player in Allsvenskan to score five goals in one match in the 21st century.
He also became the first Ghanaian to score five goals in a single top-flight game in Europe as well as becoming the leading goalscorer in the Allsvenskan with 12 goals in nine games.
After the Allsvenskan season, Waris was named the Swedish Premier League's player of the year, which GFA President Kwesi Nyantakyi is quoted as saying: "His achievements have brought honour to our country."
Waris’ magnificent form attracted attention from many clubs Arsenal, Dortmund and Bayern Munich but it was Russian giants Spartak Moscow who had the better deal for the player.
But will Waris thrive well in Russia taking into consideration their style of football? Maybe it is a decision the player will one day confess was not the best for him.
Waris opted to leave the Russian giants just after a season with them for lack of playing time, a decision which re-ignited his career again.
In January 2014, Waris was loaned to Ligue 1 club Valenciennes, until 30 June 2014. He scored on his debut for the club in a 3-2 win over Bastia on 14 January 2014 and was named Goal.com Ghana Player of the Week.
After scoring two goals in six appearances, he scored twice on 22 February 2014 in a 2–2 draw against Sochaux. He scored five times in four consecutive games.
He ended up scoring 9 goals in his loan spell for Valenciennes and returned to Spartak Moscow but was later released upon his request to join Turkish side Trabzonspor on a four-year deal for a fee of €5.5m
After an unsuccessful spell at Trabzonspor, Waris moved to French Ligue 1 side Lorient for a fee believed to be €5 million for 4-years.
On 6 August 2015, Waris’ transfer to French Ligue 1 side Lorient was announced. Media reported the transfer fee as and the duration of the contract as four years.
Waris was handed his first call up into the Black Stars by coach Kwasi Appiah to replace the injured Ayew brothers for Ghana’s friendly with Chile.
He played his international game for Ghana in the game with Chile after coming on as a substitute for Richard Mpong in a game ended in a 1-1 stalemate and scored his first international goal in Ghana's 4–0 thrashing of Sudan in the 2014 World Cup qualifier on 24 March 2013 at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi. He also scored a goal against Egypt when Ghana defeated Egypt 6–1 in Kumasi in the first leg of the final World Cup qualifier.
On 2 June 2014, he made the cut to be named in Ghana's 23-man squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
He is still a member of the Black Stars side and played his part when Ghana mauled Ethiopia 5-0 in the 2019 AFCON at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium on June 11 2017.
For those who are playing and eye wearing the Black Stars jersey, Waris’ story is surely an inspiration.
By: Sheikh Tophic Sienu @desheikh1 on twitter