Ghanaian football legend Wilberforce Mfum, affectionately known as “The Bulldozer,” has passed away at 88 after a brief illness.
Mfum’s death was confirmed on Sunday, May 11, 2025, sending shockwaves through the Ghanaian football community.
He was a pivotal figure in Ghana’s early football success, particularly during the country’s maiden Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) triumph in 1963 by scoring Ghana’s first-ever goal in the tournament.
He later scored twice in the final against Sudan, leading the Black Stars to their inaugural continental triumph.
Mfum netted 20 goals in 26 appearances for Ghana and also represented the nation at the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
At the club level, he shone for Asante Kotoko before moving abroad, where he played for several clubs in the United States, including the Baltimore Bays, Ukrainian SC, Ukrainian Nationals, and New York Cosmos. In 1970, he became the joint top scorer in the American Soccer League and was one of the early African players in the North American Soccer League.
Tributes have poured in from the football fraternity, with former Ghana defender Tony Baffoe paying a heartfelt tribute to Mfum, describing him as “a towering figure in Ghanaian football” whose legacy will forever remain in their hearts.
Mfum’s impact on Ghana’s sporting history continues to resonate, and his passing marks the departure of one of the country’s greatest football icons.
