Long before he could stand or walk, Ghana’s left-back Gideon Mensah had already begun his journey toward a professional football career. His father, William Mensah, had a clear vision for his son’s future. “Before Gideon could crawl, I had already bought a football for him,” William recalled, filled with pride. “It was football or nothing else.”

Today, Gideon plays in Ligue 1 for Auxerre and represents Ghana at the highest levels of football. His international debut for the Black Stars came in 2019, and since then, he’s become a mainstay in Ghana’s defense, earning 19 caps and playing in two Africa Cup of Nations tournaments as well as making his World Cup debut in Qatar in 2022.

This ascent hasn’t been without interest from major clubs. In 2019, Gideon was approached by Barcelona, who reached out to his agents to explore a potential move. However, the deal fell through due to a confidentiality breach, as a clause required the deal to stay under wraps.

Nevertheless, with his father’s unwavering support and a relentless drive, Gideon Mensah has realized a dream seeded in him since infancy, proudly wearing Ghana’s colors and establishing himself as the nation’s first-choice left-back.