Ghana and Hearts of Oak legend Mohammed Polo has revealed his all-time Best XI, which excludes legendary footballers Abedi Pele and Asamoah Gyan.
Polo left out Pele, who won African Best Award three times, and Gyan, Ghana's all-time top scorer with 51 goals. Instead, the former Marseille star was named to the bench, while Gyan was left out completely.
Other notable exclusions include two-time Bundesliga goal-king, Anthony Yeboah, and Samuel Osei Kuffour who won laurels with Ghana at age-group competitions and with German giants, Bayern Munich.
Polo's team is captured in his yet-to-be-released biography: “Polo -The Magnificent -- Story of the Dribbling Magician”.
The book, written by Nii Odai Anidaso Laryea, is set to be officially launched in Accra in the coming weeks.
In the book, the football legend explained that while Ghana has produced many great players over the years, he chose players such as himself, Robert Mensah, Dan Oppong, Akuetteh Armah (99 Styles), Seth Ampadu, Addo Odametey, Osei Kofi, Ibrahim Sunday, Abdul-Karim Razak, and Dan Owusu as his all-time first team.
Ghana and Asante Kotoko goalkeeping legend Joe Carr, Haruna Yusif, Oliver Acquah, John Eshun, James Kuuku Dadzie, Adolf Armah, Abedi, Wilberforce Mfum, Edward Acquah, and Yeboah make up the reserve team.
“The difficulty in naming Ghana’s all time best is that players excelled at different points in our football history. The list is endless, and this indicates that Ghana abounds in soccer talent,” he explained to the Graphic Sports.
Polo chose the late Ghana and Kotoko legend, Robert Mensah, as goalkeeper, with Ghana and Kotoko defender Dan Oppong for the right full-back position, Armah (99 styles) for the left full-back position, Seth Ampadu (centre-back), and Addo Odametey for the centre-back position (centre-back).
Osei Kofi (right-wing) and Polo (left-wing) were chosen as wingers, with former Kotoko and Black Stars legends Ibrahim Sunday and Abdul Karim Razak in midfield and former Bofoakwa goal machine Dan Owusu as the arrow-head striker.
Polo stated that goalkeepers such as John Naawu, Addoquaye Laryea, John Baker, John Botchway, Edward Ansah, Salifu Ansah, Owusu Mensah, Dodoo Ankrah, Sannie Abdulai, and Abukari Damba made significant contributions to market Ghana at the international level, while defenders such Frank Amankwah, Kwasi Appiah, Seth Ampadu, Anthony Dwemoh, Sampson Lamptey, Justice Moore, Dogo Moro, Michael Lomo, John Mensah, PSK Paha, Isaac Paha and Tetteh Gorleku also played useful roles in their time.
Other greats who were mentioned included midfielders Kofi Pare, John Nketiah Yawson, Joe Ghartey, Tetteh Chandu, and Sulley Ali Muntari.
He did not leave out forwards Emmanuel Osei Kuffour, George Alhassan, Opoku Afriyie, Agyemang Prempeh, Kofi Badu, Frank Odoi, Joe Sam, Windsor Kofi Abbrey, Emmanuel Quashie, and Joe Sam for making an impact in Ghana football at the club and national levels.
Polo helped Ghana win 1978 Africa Cup of Nations.