The day he became a living legend was a Wednesday evening in September 2003, when Borussia Dortmund played an important European Cup match against Austria Wien. The first leg in Dortmund had ended in a draw, Borussia Dortmund’s progress to the next round was in jeopardy and an early exit against Vienna in the first round would have been a major embarrassment. And Ghana’s choice of coach for the 2022 World Cup, Otto Addo, was to become a true icon of German football that night.
After a duel with a Vienna player, his knee buckled completely. “I knew immediately that something was wrong,” Addo later recounted. He dragged himself to the sidelines for treatment and the Dortmund team doctor immediately signalled that the then 28-year-old should be substituted, and Guiseppe Reina warmed up. But against the doctor’s recommendation to stay out, Addo limped back onto the field so that his team would not have to play shorthanded. Then only a few moments later, a counterattacking chance arose for Dortmund and the ball came to Otto, who for some inexplicable reason had been completely forgotten by the Viennese, probably because they had seen how much he had limped. He received the ball elegantly, ran a few metres, let another Viennese off and flicked the ball into the left corner with his injured leg. For that one brief moment, he had conquered the pain.
Only the next day was a cruciate ligament rupture diagnosed, which was to keep Addo from playing football for a long time. But the fans of the club and the Bundesliga took him to their hearts forever. Only shortly afterwards, his goal was voted the best goal of the month by viewers of the most important German football television programme, “Sportschau”. It was not a spectacular overhead kick or an artistic long-range shot. But it was pure will and passion.
Since then, Otto Addo’s name has stood for the heroism of the never-giving-up footballer, whom even the pain of a torn cruciate ligament could not stop.
Now, 19 years later, Otto Addo is the man to help the Black Stars of Ghana regain glory and honour. Until the World Cup in Qatar, the son of Ghanaian immigrants, who grew up in Germany, will work in a dual role, on the one hand as Ghana’s coach and on the other as talent coach at Borussia Dortmund.
He worked closely with Erling Haaland
At Borussia Dortmund, he has contributed to the catapult-like development of current stars such as Europa League winner Ansgar Knauff, Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham and Jadon Sancho. The Ghanaian team also has an incredible amount of footballing talent that is very sensitive and often lacked the right emotional and personal guidance away from home. And it is precisely for this reason that Otto Addo is the perfect choice for Ghana’s great adventure at the World Cup in Qatar. You could already see a lot of his signature in the World Cup playoffs. He will teach his players what it is like to never give up and to fight until the last moment.
The Hamburg native has never coached a professional team in European football. Still, he has experienced coaches like Lucien Favre, Martin Jol, Ottmar Hitzfeld and Juergen Klopp first-hand in his career, both as a player and as a co-coach. Although Otto Addo has never lived in Ghana himself, he is very familiar with the rituals and characters of his players through his parents and family. In addition, he also brings with him his sound German education and mentality and knows how both cultures can be optimally combined to achieve a positive result. In the past years, it was mainly coaches from Germany who were able to win the important competitions. Be it Klopp, Hansi Flick or Thomas Tuchel in the Champions League. Otto Addo has looked closely and knows what Ghana needs, apart from talent and tactics, to become glorious again after a disappointing showing at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Ghana is ready for Qatar
In Group H, the Black Stars have been drawn strong opponents like Portugal, South Korea and Uruguay, but Ghana need not fear any of these teams. According to expert analysis from sports betting site Betting Tips Africa, Ghana has a good chance of prevailing in their group and qualifying for the last 16. Portugal is difficult to beat due to its many outstanding players and is therefore considered the favourite to win the group. But South Korea and Uruguay are teams Ghana can beat.
The problem with South Korea and Uruguay is that their playing systems depend heavily on their respective stars Heung-Min Son and Luis Suarez.
Moreover, the match against Uruguay is no ordinary game – but a good opportunity to avenge their quarter-final defeat at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, when Luis Suarez prevented Ghana’s supposed winning goal with a clear handball shortly before the end of extra time. The subsequent penalty was missed by Asamoah Gyan.
Betting experts recommend betting on Ghana’s entry into the last 16 with odds of 3.25. This bet is available at the major British provider Bet365, among others.
“A lot can happen in the knockout games that follow – but there is much to suggest for Ghana then meeting World Cup favourites Brazil. And in this case, Ghana will need a very good day, a lot of courage and a bit of luck to advance,” is the concluding prediction from Betting Tips Africa.
Otto Addo is unlikely to continue coaching the Black Stars after the World Cup as he has commitments at Dortmund. New talents will have to be moulded, such as Englishman Jamie Bynoe-Gittens or Cameroon-born striker Youssoufa Moukoko. And the offers for the talented German-Ghanaian – or Ghanaian-German? – will not diminish.