John Mensah
Encyclopedia
John Mensah is a Ghana
ian professional footballer who plays as a defender
for French
club Lyon
in Ligue 1
, although he spent the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011
seasons on loan at English
club Sunderland
in the Premier League. Mensah is the current captain of the Ghana national team
.
, Ashanti
, Mensah is a product of the scouting system in Ghana that identifies talented youngsters long before they enter any formal structures and exports them to potential fame and fortune in Europe.
A centre-half by choice, Mensah is also adept at right-back and has played in both positions for his national side, also captaining the team on occasions. His physique has earned him the moniker the ‘Rock of Gibraltar’, and Mensah was considered a certainty to be named in the Black Stars’ squad for the 2006 World Cup
.
The defender’s first foreign adventure was as a teenager, when he moved to Italy to join Bologna
. The Serie A
outfit recognised his talent, but also saw that his was potential in its rawest form and, as such, loaned him to Swiss side AC Bellinzona
, where it was hoped that he would hone his talents. Mensah's lack of speed was the reason many scouts overlooking his talent but he has shown great positioning and awareness.
The arrangement proved beneficial to both clubs and also to the player himself, and it was during his time in Switzerland that Mensah was called up for the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship
in Argentina, where Ghana finished as runners-up to the host nation in the tournament.
The following season, he returned to Serie B
on loan with Genoa
before being purchased on a permanent basis by Chievo Verona
in the summer of 2002.
A brief spell with Modena
punctuated a moderately successful three-year stint in Verona
, but, following another uneventful move to Cremonese
in the Italian Serie B
, Mensah came to the conclusion that a new stable environment was what was required to kick-start his somehow journey-man career.
who brought him to fill the gap in defence caused by an injury to another African, the Moroccan Abdeslam Ouaddou
. High level performances in the French League convinced Rennes to make the loan deal permanent. In April 2006 he signed a three year contract with Rennes.
The move to Rennes breathed new life into the Ghanaian’s play earning him a reputation in France as one of Ligue 1’s best defenders.http://foot.fluctuat.net/john-mensah.html.
On 28 September 2006, Stade Rennais website wrote an article about John Mensah impact on his new team since his acquisition. It said – The summary from 11 February 2006 to 28 September 2006:
18 games: 12 wins, 5 draws, 1 defeat. 12 conceded goals, 4 of them when Mensah was not on the field. Rennes conceded 0.66 goals per game with Mensah. Without Mensah Rennes had 6 games, 0 wins, 1 draw and five losses. 13 goals were conceded, making 2.66 per game.
On 17 May 2007, Mensah signed a new contract extension with Stade Rennais until 2010. "I am very lucky to be able to stay one year more with such an ambitious club, especially since a lot of clubs wanted me," Mensah told L'Equipe. Delighted Rennes coach Pierre Dréossi
said: "Those who wanted to see him at another club can now forget my telephone number.".
He was linked with Portsmouth
, which also looked likely to be his future destination due to strong presence of African players along with his international team mate Sulley Muntari
at the club.
He was also linked with a possible move to Wigan Athletic
. An enquiry from Wigan Athletic about a possible transfer for the Ghanaian was welcomed by Stade Rennais with club assistant coach Philippe Redon
commenting that it would take at least £7,000,000 to prize ‘Rock of Gibraltar’ away from the club.
He played 58 Ligue 1 matches for Rennes and registered two goals against Troyes
in 2005/06 and Toulouse
into 2007/08. He also played three matches in the French Cup
, two in the French League Cup
and 2 in the UEFA Cup
. He was made the Rennes Team captain in January 2008 until his exit that summer. Following his departure, Guy Lacombe
the Rennes Coach, lamented that he had hoped to keep his captain because his exit will mean a re-examination of their playing system and that “he will not go to an average club. If John leaves, he will do it only for something that one cannot propose to him here”, Lacombe said. What Rennes could not give him was the chance to play in the UEFA Champions League
.
, with a view to making a move for him in that Summer transfer window.
As of November 2006, Mensah was rated the number 1 Player in France by France Football
, tied with Juninho Pernambucano
, in the 2006/07 season's Top 100 French League Players, but injuries ruined his season and his stats was taken off this page later on.
On 18 June 2008 new Lyon Coach Claude Puel
made it his priority to sign Mensah to replace centre back Sébastien Squillaci
who departed to Sevilla
in the Spanish La Liga
. Negotiations continued for the following four weeks and on 15 July 2008, Lyon 'Special adviser' Bernard Lacombe
contacted Mensah and agreed a 5-year contract with him but Rennes dismissed Lyon’s initial interest. Jean-Michel Aulas offered the Breton club only €6 million, a figure that did not appease Rennes general manager Pierre Dréossi
. But the French media said Mensah will sign for Lyon in an €8 million transfer
On 21 July 2008 Mensah finally signed a 5-year contract with Lyon in an €8.4 million transfer. He was presented to the media at 20:00 that day. During the press conference, Jean Michel Aulas stated that, John Mensah was recommended to them by ex-Lyon superstar midfielder Michael Essien
. Mensah wore the Number 15 Shirt. He is the third Ghanaian Player to ever play for Lyon after Abedi Pele
and Essien.
on loan for the season with the club also having the option to purchase the player for a fee of €7 million following the season. On 21 August, Mensah successfully passed his medical and, a week later, was awarded his work permit by the Court of Arbitration for Sport
officially completing the move.
Mensah made his debut for Sunderland on 12 September, coming on as a substitute against Hull City
in a 4–1 win. He then made his full debut in the 2–0 League Cup
win over Birmingham City
on 22 September and even managed to put the ball in the net, but it was disallowed for a foul on Blues keeper Maik Taylor
. Mensah scored his first Sunderland goal against Manchester City
on 19 December. So far Mensah's season with Sunderland has been hampered with the constant reoccurrence of a calf injury, despite this however team mate Michael Turner
has described him as the best defender he has ever played with. Mensah became a favourite amongst the Sunderland faithful, but his injury problems meant he would struggle to play much in the upcoming season.
Mensah rejoined Sunderland on loan for the 2010–11
season on 11 August.
Mensah was handed the number 5 shirt on the eve of the new season, the same number he wears for Ghana.
Mensah started Sunderland's first match of the season, a 2-2 draw against Birmingham. However, injuries, and the form of Titus Bramble
and Michael Turner kept Mensah out of the starting line up until Sunderland's victory against Stoke City
on 6 November 2010, where he replaced the suspended Bramble.
Mensah received a straight red card in a match against Liverpool
on 20 March 2011 after a foul on Luis Suárez
. This was later rescinded.
Final versus host nation Argentina
in the summer of that year. Starting every match at centre-half, the youngster crossed paths with – and eliminated – future stars of the calibre of Adriano
, Kaká
, Julio Baptista
on 1 July 2001, when Ghana knocked out Brazil
on a Mensah golden goal in the 4th minute of Extra Time in the Quarter Finals of that Tournament. and Djibril Cissé
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/SportsArchive/artikel.php?ID=16167. (Tied after 90 minutes, the Ghana – Brazil game entered extra time with an excited crowd knowing that the next goal would decide the match. Throwing caution to the wind, Ghana went forward and forced a corner in the fourth minute. In came the cross and John Mensah got in front of his marker to send a firm header over the line, ousting Brazil.)
Mensah’s senior debut for the Black Stars came against Algeria
on 5 December 2001 just after his 19th birthday, on the eve of the 2002 African Cup of Nations finals in Mali
, a tournament at which his aerial ability was a prominent feature of Ghana’s play.
Since then, he has been a regular for the national team, playing almost every single game since then, rising in the rank of importance to become the assistant-captain of the National Team and now has 42 caps as of 27 March 2007. Mensah played for the Ghana Olympic Team
known as the Black Meteors in the 2004 Summer Olympics
. In 2006, he participated in his second African Cup of Nations
tournament in Egypt
, and was solidity personified during Ghana’s successful qualifying campaign for 2006 FIFA World Cup
.
He was involved in the 2006 FIFA World Cup
with his national side
. Ghana qualified for a final 16 tie against defending champions Brazil
with a 2–1 victory over the USA
in their final group stage match. After the final whistle, Mensah lifted his team jersey to reveal a T-shirt displaying "John Mensah – Rock of Gibraltar", his nickname in Ghana.
The coach of Ghana during 2006 FIFA World Cup
, Ratomir Dujkovic
cited Mensah for high commendations after the tournament.
Mensah was selected in the 2006 African Nations Cup All-Star Team of the Tournament by the Confederation of African Football
in February 2006. On 3 February 2008, Mensah was sent off in a Cup of Nations quarter final game against Nigeria
for a professional foul against Odemwinge. Ghana went on to win the match 2–1 with goals from Michael Essien and a later winner scored by Junior Agogo
. In 2010, Mensah captained Ghana to an impressive quarter final finish at the World Cup
.
.
Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
ian professional footballer who plays as a defender
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
for French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
club Lyon
Olympique Lyonnais
Olympique Lyonnais is a French association football club based in Lyon. They play in France's highest football division, Ligue 1. The club was formed as Lyon Olympique Universitaire in 1899, according to many supporters and sport historians, but was nationally established as a club in 1950. The...
in Ligue 1
Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
, although he spent the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011
2010–11 Premier League
The 2010–11 Premier League was the 19th season of the Premier League since its establishment in 1992. The 2010–11 fixtures were released on 17 June 2010 at 09:00 BST. The season began on 14 August 2010, and ended on 22 May 2011...
seasons on loan at English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
club Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
in the Premier League. Mensah is the current captain of the Ghana national team
Ghana national football team
The Ghana national football team, popularly known as the Black Stars, is the national association football team of Ghana and is controlled by the Ghana Football Association...
.
Club career
Born in ObuasiObuasi
Obuasi is a city in southern Ghana, lying south of Kumasi. It has a population of 115,564 On the railway line from Kumasi to Sekondi, it is known for its gold mine, now one of the ten largest in the world, gold having been mined on the site since at least the seventeenth century. Tourists can...
, Ashanti
Ashanti Region
The Ashanti Region is the third largest of 10 administrative regions in Ghana, occupying a total land surface of 24389 square kilometers or 10.2 per cent of the total land area of Ghana. In terms of population, however, it is the most populated region with a population of 3,612,950 in 2000,...
, Mensah is a product of the scouting system in Ghana that identifies talented youngsters long before they enter any formal structures and exports them to potential fame and fortune in Europe.
A centre-half by choice, Mensah is also adept at right-back and has played in both positions for his national side, also captaining the team on occasions. His physique has earned him the moniker the ‘Rock of Gibraltar’, and Mensah was considered a certainty to be named in the Black Stars’ squad for the 2006 World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
.
The defender’s first foreign adventure was as a teenager, when he moved to Italy to join Bologna
Bologna F.C. 1909
Bologna Football Club 1909, known simply as Bologna, is an Italian Football League club based in Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, formed in 1993. The club are nicknamed the rossoblù because of the red and blue striped shirts they wear. Red and Blue are the official colours of the town.During its history...
. The Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
outfit recognised his talent, but also saw that his was potential in its rawest form and, as such, loaned him to Swiss side AC Bellinzona
AC Bellinzona
AC Bellinzona is a Swiss football club based in Bellinzona. It was founded in 1904, and won the Swiss Super League in 1948.-History:Since Bellinzona is an Italian speaking region, many Italian Serie A clubs loan youth players to the club to get first team experience. AS Roma are a parent club to...
, where it was hoped that he would hone his talents. Mensah's lack of speed was the reason many scouts overlooking his talent but he has shown great positioning and awareness.
The arrangement proved beneficial to both clubs and also to the player himself, and it was during his time in Switzerland that Mensah was called up for the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship
2001 FIFA World Youth Championship
The 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship took place in Argentina between June 17 and July 8, 2001. The 2001 championship was the 13th contested. The tournament took part in six cities, Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Mendoza, Rosario, Salta, and Mar del Plata...
in Argentina, where Ghana finished as runners-up to the host nation in the tournament.
The following season, he returned to Serie B
Serie B
Serie B, currently named Serie bwin due to sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It is contested by 22 teams and organized by the Lega Serie B since July 2010, after the split of Lega Calcio that previously took care of both the...
on loan with Genoa
Genoa C.F.C.
Genoa Cricket and Football Club, commonly referred to simply as Genoa , is a professional Italian football club based in the city of Genoa, Liguria...
before being purchased on a permanent basis by Chievo Verona
A.C. ChievoVerona
Associazione Calcio Chievo Verona is a professional Italian football club named after and based in Chievo, a suburb of 2,800 inhabitants in Verona, Veneto, and owned by Paluani, a cake company and the inspiration for their original name, Paluani Chievo...
in the summer of 2002.
A brief spell with Modena
Modena F.C.
Modena Football Club is an Italian football club based in Modena, Emilia-Romagna. The club was formed in 1912 and currently plays in Italian Serie B, after being relegated from a two year period in Serie A in the year 2004. The team's previous stay in Italy's top division ended in 1964. The team...
punctuated a moderately successful three-year stint in Verona
Verona
Verona ; German Bern, Dietrichsbern or Welschbern) is a city in the Veneto, northern Italy, with approx. 265,000 inhabitants and one of the seven chef-lieus of the region. It is the second largest city municipality in the region and the third of North-Eastern Italy. The metropolitan area of Verona...
, but, following another uneventful move to Cremonese
U.S. Cremonese
Unione Sportiva Cremonese is an Italian football club, based in Cremona. The club was founded in 1903. Cremonese played the 2005/2006 season in Serie B, having won Serie C1/A the previous season. However, in the 2005/2006 Serie B campaign, Cremonese came out twenty-first, being therefore relegated...
in the Italian Serie B
Serie B
Serie B, currently named Serie bwin due to sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It is contested by 22 teams and organized by the Lega Serie B since July 2010, after the split of Lega Calcio that previously took care of both the...
, Mensah came to the conclusion that a new stable environment was what was required to kick-start his somehow journey-man career.
Rennes
On 31 January 2006 during the winter transfer window, he moved to Rennes on loan after having played in Italy for most of his career, at the behest of their former player Philippe RedonPhilippe Redon
Philippe Redon is an French former footballer and coach.He played for Stade Rennais, Red Star, Paris SG, Girondins de Bordeaux, FC Metz, Stade Lavallois, FC Rouen, Papeete, AS Saint-Étienne and US Créteil....
who brought him to fill the gap in defence caused by an injury to another African, the Moroccan Abdeslam Ouaddou
Abdeslam Ouaddou
Abdeslam Ouaddou is a Moroccan football defender. He currently plays for Qatar SC.-Career:He started his footballing career quite late, at the age of 21. On December 7, 2006 Ouaddou asked Olympiacos to release him free because he felt homesick and had some family problems...
. High level performances in the French League convinced Rennes to make the loan deal permanent. In April 2006 he signed a three year contract with Rennes.
The move to Rennes breathed new life into the Ghanaian’s play earning him a reputation in France as one of Ligue 1’s best defenders.http://foot.fluctuat.net/john-mensah.html.
On 28 September 2006, Stade Rennais website wrote an article about John Mensah impact on his new team since his acquisition. It said – The summary from 11 February 2006 to 28 September 2006:
18 games: 12 wins, 5 draws, 1 defeat. 12 conceded goals, 4 of them when Mensah was not on the field. Rennes conceded 0.66 goals per game with Mensah. Without Mensah Rennes had 6 games, 0 wins, 1 draw and five losses. 13 goals were conceded, making 2.66 per game.
On 17 May 2007, Mensah signed a new contract extension with Stade Rennais until 2010. "I am very lucky to be able to stay one year more with such an ambitious club, especially since a lot of clubs wanted me," Mensah told L'Equipe. Delighted Rennes coach Pierre Dréossi
Pierre Dréossi
Pierre Dréossi, born 12 October 1959, in Roubaix, France, is a football manager, currently managing Stade Rennais.He previously was head coach of the club, but resigned on 16 December 2007, after a 1-2 defeat against SM Caen....
said: "Those who wanted to see him at another club can now forget my telephone number.".
He was linked with Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
, which also looked likely to be his future destination due to strong presence of African players along with his international team mate Sulley Muntari
Sulley Muntari
Sulleyman Ali "Sulley" Muntari is a Ghanaian international footballer who currently plays as a central midfielder for Serie A club Inter Milan in Italy. He has 66 caps for The Black Stars of Ghana.-Early career:...
at the club.
He was also linked with a possible move to Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
. An enquiry from Wigan Athletic about a possible transfer for the Ghanaian was welcomed by Stade Rennais with club assistant coach Philippe Redon
Philippe Redon
Philippe Redon is an French former footballer and coach.He played for Stade Rennais, Red Star, Paris SG, Girondins de Bordeaux, FC Metz, Stade Lavallois, FC Rouen, Papeete, AS Saint-Étienne and US Créteil....
commenting that it would take at least £7,000,000 to prize ‘Rock of Gibraltar’ away from the club.
He played 58 Ligue 1 matches for Rennes and registered two goals against Troyes
Troyes AC
Espérance Sportive Troyes Aube Champagne is a French association football club, based in Troyes. It was founded in 1900. The club was promoted to Ligue 1 for the 2005–06 season and their first Ligue 1 season was in 1954/55, and their second spell came in 1999/2000 Espérance Sportive Troyes Aube...
in 2005/06 and Toulouse
Toulouse FC
Toulouse Football Club is a French association football club based in the city of Toulouse. The club was founded in 1970 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top level of French football. Toulouse plays its home matches at the Stadium Municipal located within the city. The first team is managed by...
into 2007/08. He also played three matches in the French Cup
Coupe de France
The Coupe Charles Simon, commonly known as the Coupe de France , is the premier knockout cup competition in French football organized by the French Football Federation...
, two in the French League Cup
Coupe de la Ligue
The Coupe de la Ligue , known outside of France as the French League Cup, is a knockout cup competition in French football organized by the Ligue de Football Professionnel...
and 2 in the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
. He was made the Rennes Team captain in January 2008 until his exit that summer. Following his departure, Guy Lacombe
Guy Lacombe
Guy Lacombe is a French former professional football player and manager.- International :Lacombe was a member of the French squad that won the gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California...
the Rennes Coach, lamented that he had hoped to keep his captain because his exit will mean a re-examination of their playing system and that “he will not go to an average club. If John leaves, he will do it only for something that one cannot propose to him here”, Lacombe said. What Rennes could not give him was the chance to play in the UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
.
Lyon
On 26 April 2007, it was reported in the French Media http://news.maxifoot.com/info-063349_70426/football.php that he was being seriously scouted by LyonOlympique Lyonnais
Olympique Lyonnais is a French association football club based in Lyon. They play in France's highest football division, Ligue 1. The club was formed as Lyon Olympique Universitaire in 1899, according to many supporters and sport historians, but was nationally established as a club in 1950. The...
, with a view to making a move for him in that Summer transfer window.
As of November 2006, Mensah was rated the number 1 Player in France by France Football
France Football
France Football is a French bi-weekly magazine containing football news from all over the world. It's one of the most reputable sports publications in Europe, mostly because of their photographic reports and accurate statistics of the big European Cup matches, and extensive coverage of the European...
, tied with Juninho Pernambucano
Juninho Pernambucano
Antônio Augusto Ribeiro Reis Jr. , commonly known as Juninho or Juninho Pernambucano, is a Brazilian footballer and dead-ball specialist, currently playing as a midfielder for Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A club CR Vasco da Gama. He is considered to be one of the greatest free kick takers of all time...
, in the 2006/07 season's Top 100 French League Players, but injuries ruined his season and his stats was taken off this page later on.
On 18 June 2008 new Lyon Coach Claude Puel
Claude Puel
Claude Puel is a French football manager and former player. He spent 17 years playing for AS Monaco.-Managerial career:...
made it his priority to sign Mensah to replace centre back Sébastien Squillaci
Sébastien Squillaci
Sébastien Squillaci is a French international footballer who plays for Arsenal. He plays as a central defender and is described as a player who "reads the game well" and is "strong in the air and on the ground"...
who departed to Sevilla
Sevilla FC
Sevilla Fútbol Club S.A.D. is a Spanish professional football club based in Seville, Spain that plays in the Spanish La Liga championship.They are one of the most successful clubs in Spanish football having won a 1 La Liga title, 5 Spanish "Copa del Rey" Cups, 1 Spanish Super Cup and 2 UEFA...
in the Spanish La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
. Negotiations continued for the following four weeks and on 15 July 2008, Lyon 'Special adviser' Bernard Lacombe
Bernard Lacombe
Bernard Lacombe is a retired French football player. He played forward, mainly with Olympique Lyonnais, Girondins Bordeaux and the French national team.-Career:...
contacted Mensah and agreed a 5-year contract with him but Rennes dismissed Lyon’s initial interest. Jean-Michel Aulas offered the Breton club only €6 million, a figure that did not appease Rennes general manager Pierre Dréossi
Pierre Dréossi
Pierre Dréossi, born 12 October 1959, in Roubaix, France, is a football manager, currently managing Stade Rennais.He previously was head coach of the club, but resigned on 16 December 2007, after a 1-2 defeat against SM Caen....
. But the French media said Mensah will sign for Lyon in an €8 million transfer
On 21 July 2008 Mensah finally signed a 5-year contract with Lyon in an €8.4 million transfer. He was presented to the media at 20:00 that day. During the press conference, Jean Michel Aulas stated that, John Mensah was recommended to them by ex-Lyon superstar midfielder Michael Essien
Michael Essien
Michael Kojo Essien is a Ghanaian footballer who plays for Chelsea and the Ghanaian national team. He is a midfielder who has often been touted as a box-to-box midfielder for his ability to exert boundless energy in supporting offensive and defensive play...
. Mensah wore the Number 15 Shirt. He is the third Ghanaian Player to ever play for Lyon after Abedi Pele
Abédi Pelé
Abedi Ayew, known professionally as Abedi Pele is a former Ghana International football player and captain. Having been given the nickname "Pelé" in recognition of his superior ability that evoked comparisons to Brazilian great Pelé, he found fame in France's Ligue 1 with Lille OSC and Olympique...
and Essien.
Sunderland
On 15 August 2009, various sources in France reported that Mensah would be joining English club SunderlandSunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
on loan for the season with the club also having the option to purchase the player for a fee of €7 million following the season. On 21 August, Mensah successfully passed his medical and, a week later, was awarded his work permit by the Court of Arbitration for Sport
Court of Arbitration for Sport
The Court of Arbitration for Sport is an international arbitration body set up to settle disputes related to sport. Its headquarters are in Lausanne and its courts are located in New York, Sydney and Lausanne, Switzerland...
officially completing the move.
Mensah made his debut for Sunderland on 12 September, coming on as a substitute against Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
in a 4–1 win. He then made his full debut in the 2–0 League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
win over Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
on 22 September and even managed to put the ball in the net, but it was disallowed for a foul on Blues keeper Maik Taylor
Maik Taylor
Maik Stefan Taylor is a professional footballer who plays for Leeds United and is a former Northern Ireland international....
. Mensah scored his first Sunderland goal against Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
on 19 December. So far Mensah's season with Sunderland has been hampered with the constant reoccurrence of a calf injury, despite this however team mate Michael Turner
Michael Turner (footballer)
Michael Thomas Turner is an English footballer who plays for Sunderland.-Charlton Athletic:Born in Lewisham, London, Turner started his career at Charlton Athletic. As part of a link-up Charlton had with Internazionale, he spent several months of his apprenticeship with the Italian club's under-19...
has described him as the best defender he has ever played with. Mensah became a favourite amongst the Sunderland faithful, but his injury problems meant he would struggle to play much in the upcoming season.
Mensah rejoined Sunderland on loan for the 2010–11
2010–11 in English football
The 2010–11 season was the 131st season of competitive football in England.The season began on 6 August 2010 for the Football Leagues, with the Premier League and Football Conference both starting eight days later on 14 August 2010. The Championship, League One, and League Two ended on 7 May...
season on 11 August.
Mensah was handed the number 5 shirt on the eve of the new season, the same number he wears for Ghana.
Mensah started Sunderland's first match of the season, a 2-2 draw against Birmingham. However, injuries, and the form of Titus Bramble
Titus Bramble
Titus Malachi Bramble is an English footballer who plays for Sunderland as a defender. He is currently suspended by Sunderland after bring arrested for possession of a class A drug and sexual assault.-Ipswich Town:...
and Michael Turner kept Mensah out of the starting line up until Sunderland's victory against Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
on 6 November 2010, where he replaced the suspended Bramble.
Mensah received a straight red card in a match against Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
on 20 March 2011 after a foul on Luis Suárez
Luis Suárez (Uruguayan footballer)
Luis Alberto Suárez Díaz , commonly known as Luis Suárez and nicknamed "El Pistolero" , is a Uruguayan footballer who plays for Liverpool and the Uruguayan national team...
. This was later rescinded.
International career
Mensah played on Ghana's superb Under-20 National Team that went to the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship2001 FIFA World Youth Championship
The 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship took place in Argentina between June 17 and July 8, 2001. The 2001 championship was the 13th contested. The tournament took part in six cities, Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Mendoza, Rosario, Salta, and Mar del Plata...
Final versus host nation Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
in the summer of that year. Starting every match at centre-half, the youngster crossed paths with – and eliminated – future stars of the calibre of Adriano
Adriano Leite Ribeiro
Adriano Leite Ribeiro , commonly known as simply Adriano, is a Brazilian footballer who played striker who currently plays for Corinthians...
, Kaká
Kaká
Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite , commonly known as Kaká , is a Brazilian football attacking midfielder who currently plays for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and the Brazilian national team. Kaká started his footballing career at the age of eight, when he began playing for a local club...
, Julio Baptista
Júlio Baptista
Júlio César Baptista is a Brazilian footballer who currently plays as an attacking midfielder or forward for Málaga CF of the Spanish La Liga...
on 1 July 2001, when Ghana knocked out Brazil
Brazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
on a Mensah golden goal in the 4th minute of Extra Time in the Quarter Finals of that Tournament. and Djibril Cissé
Djibril Cissé
Djibril Aruun Cissé is a French international footballer who currently plays for Serie A club Lazio as a striker. He is noted particularly for his speed and acceleration. Since 2005, he has held the title of Lord of the Manor of Frodsham....
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/SportsArchive/artikel.php?ID=16167. (Tied after 90 minutes, the Ghana – Brazil game entered extra time with an excited crowd knowing that the next goal would decide the match. Throwing caution to the wind, Ghana went forward and forced a corner in the fourth minute. In came the cross and John Mensah got in front of his marker to send a firm header over the line, ousting Brazil.)
Mensah’s senior debut for the Black Stars came against Algeria
Algeria national football team
The Algeria national football team , nicknamed الأفنــاك, Les Fennecs , represents Algeria in association football and is controlled by the Fédération Algérienne de Football. Algeria's home ground is the Stade 5 Juillet 1962 in Algiers and their head coach is Vahid Halilhodžić.Algeria has qualified...
on 5 December 2001 just after his 19th birthday, on the eve of the 2002 African Cup of Nations finals in Mali
Mali
Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
, a tournament at which his aerial ability was a prominent feature of Ghana’s play.
Since then, he has been a regular for the national team, playing almost every single game since then, rising in the rank of importance to become the assistant-captain of the National Team and now has 42 caps as of 27 March 2007. Mensah played for the Ghana Olympic Team
Ghana national football team
The Ghana national football team, popularly known as the Black Stars, is the national association football team of Ghana and is controlled by the Ghana Football Association...
known as the Black Meteors in the 2004 Summer Olympics
Football at the 2004 Summer Olympics
The football tournament at the 2004 Summer Olympics started on 11 August, , and ended on 28 August.The men's tournament is played by U-23 national teams, with up to three over age players allowed per squad...
. In 2006, he participated in his second African Cup of Nations
African Cup of Nations
The Africa Cup of Nations, also referred to as the African Cup of Nations or African Nations Cup, officially CAN , is the main international association football competition in Africa. It is sanctioned by the Confederation of African Football , and was first held in 1957. Since 1968, it has been...
tournament in Egypt
2006 African Cup of Nations
-Group B:---------------------Group C:---------------------Group D:---------------------Knockout stage:-Quarter-finals:-------------Semi-finals:-----Third-place play-off:-Final:-Scorers:...
, and was solidity personified during Ghana’s successful qualifying campaign for 2006 FIFA World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
.
He was involved in the 2006 FIFA World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
with his national side
Ghana national football team
The Ghana national football team, popularly known as the Black Stars, is the national association football team of Ghana and is controlled by the Ghana Football Association...
. Ghana qualified for a final 16 tie against defending champions Brazil
Brazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
with a 2–1 victory over the USA
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
in their final group stage match. After the final whistle, Mensah lifted his team jersey to reveal a T-shirt displaying "John Mensah – Rock of Gibraltar", his nickname in Ghana.
The coach of Ghana during 2006 FIFA World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
, Ratomir Dujkovic
Ratomir Dujkovic
Ratomir Dujković is a Serbian football manager and a former player.-Playing career:...
cited Mensah for high commendations after the tournament.
Mensah was selected in the 2006 African Nations Cup All-Star Team of the Tournament by the Confederation of African Football
Confederation of African Football
The Confederation of African Football is the administrative and controlling body for African association football.CAF represents the national football associations of Africa, runs continental, national, and club competitions, and controls the prize money, regulations and media rights to those...
in February 2006. On 3 February 2008, Mensah was sent off in a Cup of Nations quarter final game against Nigeria
Nigeria national football team
The Nigeria national football team, nicknamed the Super Eagles or Green Eagles, is the national team of Nigeria and is controlled by the Nigeria Football Federation . The team has ranked as high as 5th in the FIFA World Rankings, in April 1994...
for a professional foul against Odemwinge. Ghana went on to win the match 2–1 with goals from Michael Essien and a later winner scored by Junior Agogo
Junior Agogo
Manuel "Junior" Agogo is a Ghanaian professional footballer. He is a striker and currently plays for Scottish Premier League side Hibernian. He has spent most of his career in England, as well as spells in the United States, Egypt and most recently Cyprus. He attended St...
. In 2010, Mensah captained Ghana to an impressive quarter final finish at the World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
.
Personal life
John is the half brother of Ghana national team player Ekow BensonEkow Benson
Ekow Benson is a Ghanaian football player, he is currently attached to Asante Kotoko F.C..- Career :Benson began his career for New Odona Schalke 04 and joined in 2004 to Fauzan FC. After two years for Fauzan joined in January 2006 to Tema Youth who has been a trial with Stade Rennais in 2007...
.
Honours and awards
- FIFA World Youth Championship runner-up: 2001
- FIFA World CupFIFA World CupThe FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
last 16: 2006,quarter final: 2010 - GhanaGhanaGhana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
2008 SamsungSamsungThe Samsung Group is a South Korean multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea...
Fair Play Award
Ghana
- Africa Cup of Nations Bronze Medal: 2008
- Africa Cup of Nations Silver Medal: 2010
External links
John Mensah's Profile, Photo & Stats by Stade Rennais Online- John Mensah Stats Page – France Football
- Fifa 2006 World Cup Profile