Last updated on July 19, 2024
Michael Essien is a Ghanaian former professional footballer who played for many clubs as a midfielder and is currently a member of the Danish Superliga club Nordsjælland’s coaching staff. He has also been capped for the Ghana national team over 50 times and was regarded as one of the world’s best midfielders of his time. He was best known for his defensive ability and kicks for scoring long-range goals.
Michael Essien is 41 years old and was born on 03 December 1982. His full name is Michael Kojo Essien, nicknamed “the Bison.” His zodiac sign is Sagittarius.
He was born to Aba Gyandoh and James Essien in Accra, Ghana, and grew up in Awutu Breku, a small town in central Ghana. His father, a former local professional player, also developed his interest in football. At 12, he moved to Accra with his mother and siblings. After two years, he won a football scholarship at a secondary school in Cape Coast. Michael Essien holds dual citizenship, which includes France and Ghana.
Club Career:
In July 2000, Michael Essien joined Division 1 club Bastia. His debut for the club came on 30 September 2000 in a league match against Metz. He appeared as a substitute for captain Laurent Casanova but could not score. In the complete 2000-01 campaign, he appeared 13 times for the club and could score only a single goal, which came in the return leg against Metz in a 3-2 defeat. Later, he got to play in a central midfield, proving himself as a great midfielder by scoring goals and helping his team in their victories. After the campaign, where Bastia finished mid-table for the third consecutive season, he drew interest from Paris Saint-Germain, Lyon, and Marseille.
Lyon:
Paris Saint-Germain was seen making Bastia the highest offer, which was accepted. However, Essien also agreed with the two-time defending champions Lyon, who paid Bastia €7.8 million for the transfer. Lyon gave him the number 4 shirt to play for them. His debut for the club came in the team’s 2003 Trophee des Champions match against Auxerre on 27 July 2003. He scored his first goal of the match in his debut in just the fifth minute of play, where his team won the game 2-1, giving Essien his first club honor as a player. In 2005, he drew attention from Chelsea till he played for Lyon.
Chelsea:
On 14 August 2005, a deal was confirmed between Chelsea and Lyon for a £24.4 million fee for the transfer of Essien, ending one of the longest-running transfer sagas. At the time, Essien became Chelsea’s most expensive player with the fee.
Essien made his Chelsea debut as a second-half substitute against Arsenal on 21 August 2005. His debut match was against West Bromwich Albion. He played for Chelsea for around nine years and helped his team in different victories.
Loan to Real Madrid:
On 31 August 2012, he signed for Real Madrid on a season-long loan. His first goal for Real Madrid came on 03 November. He also scored a second goal for Real Madrid in the last match of the season, which he dedicated to Mourinho, the manager of Real Madrid.
AC Milan:
On 27 January 2014, Essien joined Italian club AC Milan by signing a one-and-a-half-year contract.
Panathinaikos:
On 02 June 2015, Essien was seen joining the Greek club Panathinaikos by signing a two-year contract. He became the club’s highest-paid player with an annual salary of €800,000. In the first three months of joining, he could not play due to a lag injury and scored his first goal for the club in a 2-0 away league win over Levadiakos.
Persib Bandung:
On 13 March 2017, Essien signed a one-year contract to join the Indonesian club side Persib Bandung, with an option to extend for an additional year. He took the number 5 shirt for the 2017 Liga 1 season, the same number he wore during his nine years with Chelsea. He scored his first goal for the club from the header in a 2-2 draw over PS TNI.
Sabail:
On 16 March 2019, Essien joined Sabail by signing a one-and-a-half-year contract.
Profile Summary:
| Title | Details |
| Full Name | Michael Kojo Essien |
| Nick Name | The Bison |
| Gender | Male |
| Date of Birth | 03 December 1982 |
| Birth Place | Accra, Ghana |
| Current Residence | Copenhagen, Denmark |
| Age | 41 Years Old |
| Nationality | Ghanaian and French |
| Religion | Islam |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Eye Color | Black |
| Height | 5.10 Inches |
| Weight | 85 Kg |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Spouse | Akosua Puni Essien |
| Children | Michael Essien jr., Michelle Essien, Jermaine Kwame Sakyi Essien |
| Profession | Professional Footballer |
| Net Worth | $35 Million |
| Social Media Appearance |
Social Media:
Michael Essien is a well-known, famous personality. Due to his football career, he has made many fans who show love to him on his social media accounts, where he usually posts pictures. Michael Essien is active on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook and has many followers. Michael Essien has 1.7M followers on his Instagram account and has followed 1113 people. Michael Essien has 1005 posts on his Instagram account. Michael Essien has 786.1k followers on his Twitter account and has also followed 438 people through his Twitter account. Michael Essien is also active on Facebook and has 777k followers. He has followed only three people through his Facebook account till May 2024.
Net Worth:
Michael Essien has a Net Worth of almost $35 Million. He earned his Net Worth through his football career, playing for many clubs in different leagues and international teams in different World Cups. Michael Essien is one of the wealthiest footballers in the world.
