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Everything you need to know about the multifaceted career of Michael Essien, a Ghanaian star who shone at Chelsea and Lyon, collected major honours and now shares his expertise from the sidelines in Denmark.
Who is Michael Essien?
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Michael Kojo Essien is a Ghanaian football coach and former player.
He is currently coaching at the Danish Superliga club Nordsjælland. During his prime, he was regarded as one of the best midfielders in the world.
Essien began his career with Liberty Professionals in Ghana. In 2000, he moved to France to join Bastia and later became part of Ligue 1 title holders Lyon in 2003.
At Lyon, Essien won back-to-back league titles in 2003–04 and 2004–05 and was named Ligue 1 Player of the Year in 2005.
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In the same year, Essien joined Premier League side Chelsea for a then-record £24.4 million transfer fee.
At Chelsea, Essien won the Premier League in 2006 and 2010, along with three FA Cups and one League Cup.
He won the UEFA Champions League in 2011–12, having been a runner-up in the 2007–08 season.
He also received the Chelsea Goal of the Season award twice in the 2006–07 and 2008–09 seasons.
Additionally, he played for the Ghana national team, earning more than 50 caps. Essien represented the Black Stars at the 2006 and 2014 FIFA World Cups.
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Michael Essien Age
Michael Essien, who was born on December 3, 1982, is 42 years old (as of March 2025).
Michael Essien Height
Michael Essien is 5 feet 10 inches (1.78m) tall.
Where was Michael Essien born?
Michael Essien was born in Accra, Ghana.
His football career began in his home nation, playing for Liberty Professionals. He later moved to France to pursue his professional football career.
Which team is Michael Essien Coaching?
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Michael Essien is currently coaching at Danish Superliga club Nordsjælland. Essien is listed as an “Individual Player Coach” on the club website.
Michael Essien Biography
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Michael Kojo Essien, born in Accra, Ghana, to Aba Gyandoh and James Essien, began his football journey at Gomoa Nyanyano DC Primary and JSS.
He later attended St Augustine's College in Cape Coast and started his professional career with local club Liberty Professionals.
Essien, who grew up an Aston Villa fan, idolised Paul McGrath and modelled his playing style on the midfielder.
Essien first garnered attention during the 1999 FIFA U-17 World Championship in New Zealand. European scouts took notice, leading to a trial at Manchester United in April 2000.
Manchester United offered him a contract, but work permit issues prevented the transfer. He considered joining Royal Antwerp, but his mother preferred a move to France.
In July 2000, Essien signed with Division 1 club Bastia and made his debut against Metz on September 30, 2000.
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Initially deployed in various defensive positions, Essien struggled to secure a consistent place. He finished the 2000–01 campaign with 13 league appearances and one goal.
The following season, manager Robert Nouzaret moved Essien to central midfield, where he flourished.
Forming midfield partnerships with Nicolas Dieuze and Cyril Jeunechamp, Essien scored vital goals against Nantes, Lorient and Guingamp.
On January 12, 2002, he scored against Marseille. In the 2002–03 season, under Gérard Gili, Essien became a regular starter. His physical style led to 12 yellow cards. He scored on his season debut against Lens and added five more league goals.
Paris Saint-Germain made the highest offer for Essien, but he chose Lyon instead, joining for €7.8 million.
He made his debut on July 27, 2003, in the Trophée des champions against Auxerre, scoring his first goal.
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Playing as a box-to-box midfielder, Essien helped Lyon win the match 2–1.
He scored his first league goal against Monaco and made 34 league appearances, scoring three goals. On May 23, 2004, Lyon secured their third consecutive league title. In the UEFA Champions League, Essien played in eight matches.
In his final season at Lyon, Essien played in all but one league match as Lyon won their fourth consecutive title. He was named 2005 Player of the Year by France's National Union of Professional Footballers and also helped Lyon reach the Champions League quarter-finals.
On August 14, 2005, Lyon and Chelsea agreed on a £24.4 million fee for Essien. He made his Chelsea debut on August 21, 2005, against Arsenal.
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He quickly became a key player in José Mourinho's team. He scored his first Chelsea goal on March 11, 2006, against Tottenham Hotspur.
Essien was nominated for the 2006 FIFA World Player of the Year and the 2006 Ballon d'Or, and he won the 2006 BBC African Footballer of the Year award.
In the 2006–07 season, Essien scored important goals, including his first Champions League goal against Werder Bremen. He also scored a crucial goal against Valencia. On May 15, 2007, Chelsea fans voted him Player of the Year, and his goal against Arsenal was voted Goal of the Season.
On August 12, 2007, he scored the winner against Birmingham City. He was nominated for the 2007 FIFA World Player of the Year and the 2007 Ballon d'Or.
Essien suffered a serious knee injury in September 2008 but returned in March 2009. He scored vital goals against Juventus and Manchester City.
On May 6, 2009, he scored against Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final, which was voted Goal of the 2008-09 season.
The next years were injury-ridden for the former midfielder, who missed the 2010 World Cup and was absent for much of Chelsea’s historic 2011-12 season, in which the club won the Champions League for the first time.
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On August 31, 2012, Essien joined Real Madrid on loan, scoring his first goal for Los Blancos on November 3, 2012.
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He joined AC Milan on January 27, 2014, before spells with Panathinaikos, Persib Bandung and Sabail FK in the latter years of his playing career.
Michael Essien International Career
Michael Essien began his international career with the Ghana under-17 team, the Black Starlets, participating in the 1999 FIFA U-17 World Championship in New Zealand, where they won the bronze medal.
In 2001, he played in the FIFA World Youth Championship in Argentina, helping Ghana secure a runner-up position. His performances signalled his potential as a rising star in African football.
Essien made his senior debut for Ghana on January 21, 2002, in the Africa Cup of Nations against Morocco. He had previously played in a friendly against Egypt on January 4, 2002.
In 2006, he was selected for the FIFA World Cup in Germany, playing alongside Stephen Appiah and Sulley Muntari. He featured in matches against Italy, the Czech Republic and the United States, helping Ghana reach the second round.
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He missed the match against Brazil due to suspension and expressed the team's ambition to qualify for the 2010 World Cup.
During the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations, Essien played a key role in Ghana's journey to the semi-finals. In the quarter-final against Nigeria, he assumed the captaincy after John Mensah's dismissal, and Ghana won 2–1. He was named an All-Star Player.
On September 5, 2008, Essien suffered a serious knee injury during a World Cup qualification match against Libya. He was sidelined for six months, returning on March 4 to play for Chelsea Reserves.
Despite the injury, he participated in 10 of Ghana's 11 qualification matches. However, on May 27, 2010, it was announced that he would miss the 2010 World Cup due to his injury. He subsequently took a break from international football to focus on his club career.
Essien returned to the Ghana squad in August 2013 for the 2014 World Cup qualifiers. He appeared as a substitute against Zambia and started in play-off matches against Egypt.
He was part of the squad for the 2014 World Cup finals and played as a substitute against the United States.
In July 2018, Essien announced his retirement from international football after more than 12 years of service. He revealed he had initially retired before the 2014 World Cup but was recalled by James Kwesi Appiah.
Essien played 59 times for the Black Stars, scoring nine goals.
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Which Clubs did Michael Essien play for?
Youth career
1998–1999 Liberty Professionals
Senior Career
2000–2003 Bastia
2003–2005 Lyon
2005–2014 Chelsea
2012–2013 → Real Madrid (loan)
2014–2015 AC Milan
2015–2016 Panathinaikos
2017–2018 Persib Bandung
2019–2020 Sabail
Michael Essien Stats
According to Transfermarkt, Michael Essien played 544 senior games after moving to Bastia.
Essien made 256 appearances for Chelsea, the most he played for any club, while featuring for Lyon (96), Bastia (75), Real Madrid (35), PERSIB (30), Milan (22), Panathinaikos (15) and FK Sabail (15).
The erstwhile midfield man scored 58 times, with 25 coming for the Blues.
Including Essien’s 59 international appearances and nine goals, Essien played 603 times for club and country, scoring 67.
Michael Essien Coaching Career
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Michael Essien began his coaching career at Danish Superliga club Nordsjælland. He joined the club's coaching team for the 2020–21 season, a move officially announced on September 9, 2020.
His initial role involved being part of the coaching setup for the Superliga team and the club's academy teams. This experience allowed him to gain knowledge about coaching and youth development.
Essien is listed as an “Individual Player Coach” on the Danish club’s website.
Michael Essien Achievements
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Lyon
- Ligue 1: 2003–04, 2004–05
- Trophée des Champions: 2003, 2004
- Premier League: 2005–06, 2009–10
- FA Cup: 2006–07, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2011–12
- Football League Cup: 2006–07; runner-up: 2007–08
- FA Community Shield: 2009
- UEFA Champions League: 2011–12; runner-up: 2007–08
- Africa Cup of Nations runner-up: 2010; third place: 2008
- FIFA U-17 World Cup runner-up:1999
- FIFA U-20 World Cup runner-up: 2001
- Ligue 1 Player of the Month: October 2004
- Ligue 1 Player of the Year: 2004–05
- Ligue 1 Team of the Year: 2002–03, 2004–05
- CAF Team of the Year: 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009
- BBC African Footballer of the Year: 2006
- Ghana Player of the Year: 2007
- Chelsea Player of the Year: 2007
- Chelsea Goal of the Year: 2006–07 vs Arsenal, 2008–09 vs Barcelona
- 2008 Africa Cup of Nations: Team of the Tournament
Michael Essien Wife
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Michael Essien's wife is Akosua Puni Essien. She has gained recognition not only as Michael's wife but also as a businesswoman.
Notably, Akosua purchased the Italian football club Como FC in 2017. She is also involved in philanthropic work and the management of the Michael Essien Foundation.
She has been seen collaborating with her husband on philanthropic endevours, such as efforts to eradicate polio.
She possesses strong business acumen and runs a consulting firm.
They have two children: Michelle Essien and Michael Essien Jnr.
Michael Essien Net Worth
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Michael Essien’s net worth is estimated to be around $35 million, according to multiple sources.
His main source of wealth is his successful career as a professional footballer, during which he earned high salaries while playing for top clubs in Europe.
Additionally, endorsement deals have contributed to his income, and investments and business ventures may also play a role.
Michael Essien Social Media
Michael Essien maintains a presence on social media, primarily on Instagram and Twitter.
His Instagram handle is @michaelessien, where he has 1.7 million followers and shares glimpses into his life, including his coaching career, family moments and throwback photos from his playing days.
On Twitter, his handle is also @MichaelEssien, with 787,900 followers, where he engages in football-related discussions and shares his thoughts on current events.
While he is not as active as some other footballers, his social media provides a window into his post-playing career and personal life.
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