Whether it was due to visa issues, or the right sort of money not being on the table, many former Ghanaian football stars usually chose to end their illustrious careers in the Middle East or Europe rather than walking the well-trodden semi-retirement path to the MLS.
This has meant that only in the last couple of years have American and Canadian teams begun to tap into the huge talent pool that is Ghana.
Now that they have, there are a wealth of young players breaking through, many of whom have one eye on making a possibly lucrative move to one of Europe’s major domestic clubs.
Here are some of the top Ghanaians who are plying their trade in the MLS today.
Latif Blessing might be the best Ghanaian football player working in the MLS today, and certainly in his opinion he is, with his confidence sky high after having notched one goal and two assists since the MLS restart this summer.
As a result the Accra born youngster’s stock has risen substantially, with him currently being valued at around $4 million and top oddschecker tipsters likely to back him to continue to make waves across the Atlantic.
Lalas Abubakar
You cannot miss Lalas Abubakar out on the footy field because this sturdy centre-back has one of the most recognisable hear cuts in the game.
The Kumasi native is another player whose value is rising after recent impressive showings for the Colorado Rapids.
Whereas most Ghanaian players start out early in the MLS, Harrison Afful went a different route altogether, making his name in Tunisian football before making the leap stateside.
Since the summer of 2015 he has held down a place at Columbus Crew, where he now helps nurture younger members of the squad.
Jonathan Mensah
There are countless modern-day footballers who are complete nomads, willing to sell their services to the highest bidder no matter where that buyer may be based.
Jonathan Mensah certainly falls into that category having played in Serie A, Ligue 1 and La Liga, as well as in South Africa and Russia.
It was probably only a matter of time before he made his way to the MLS, and so now he plays with Columbus Crew, for who he is a consistent rock at the heart of their defence.