Baba Sule's career was marked by grief and suffering but he found a new perspective on life as the former driver of Spain goalkeeper David De Gea following his retirement.
In the mid-90s, the 42-year-old was a youth sensation when he helped Ghana to victory in the 1995 U-17 World Cup, defeating a Brazil squad that included Juan and Julio Cesar 3-2 in a dramatic final.
Baba Sule opened the scoring in the final, capping off an excellent campaign that finished with Ghana's second title, defeating Cesar—who would go on to collect 87 caps for Brazil's senior side in the 39th minute.
His accomplishments in Ecuador led to a move to Spain, when he joined Real Mallorca from Cornerstones in 1996, but his career took an unpleasant turn here.
Baba Sule's stay in Mallorca was interrupted by illness—he was diagnosed with hepatitis—and he had to sit out for extended periods of time while he recovered.
While his improved fitness allowed him to join Ghana's U-20 team in 1997, his club career was never completely successful.
He returned to regular play with Ourense in the Spanish second division, but then went on an eight-year adventure through a host of Spanish minnows until returning to African football in 2008.
He finished his career with three years in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), with Kwara United and Niger Tornadoes, but after retiring, he returned to Spain, having obtained a Spanish passport during his playing career.
Since returning to Europe, the experienced footballer has pursued a second profession as an electrician before accepting an interesting offer to drive for De Gea, who was once a key player for Atletico Madrid.
“After hanging up my boots, I had the same manager as De Gea, and one day he called me and asked me if I was interested in working with De Gea who was then playing for the second team of Atletico Madrid,” Sule told AFHQ.
“He asked me if I was interested in being his driver – because De Gea was then 17 –and as he was living near me, and I wasn’t doing anything, I decided to take that opportunity.”
Sule spoke about how he enjoyed some special moments with the Manchester United goalkeeper, though he disagreed that his English lessons had left the Manchester United goalkeeper with a Ghanaian accent.