German born Ghanaian professional footballer, Kevin Prince Boateng joined Spanish La Liga giants Barcelona on loan from Sassuolo, who play in Serie A TIM. Boateng’s move to FC Barcelona came as a surprise to many football fans across the world and Barcelona is the 10th team he has played for.
He is also one of the few players to have played for two different clubs in four of the five major leagues in Europe. The Ghana international could finally taste the success that has been eluding him throughout his career, with Barcelona dominating all of their Champions League Fixtures in this 2018/19 campaign.
Early Days
Born in Berlin to a Ghanaian father and German mother, Boateng took his first steps in football with Hertha Berlin at the age of seven and later made his professional debut for the team at the age of 18.
He then left his boyhood club to join Spurs in 2007. However Kevin failed to make a real impact at such a young age in The Premier League and he watched Tottenham lift the Carling Cup from the stands of Wembley.
Boateng left White Hart Lane for Dortmund in 2009, where he played under Jurgen Klopp before a move to a crisis hit Portsmouth.
The forward scored at Wembley against Spurs to lead his team to the FA Cup Final, but he ended his time in England with relegation.
World Cup Success
After a successful World Cup in 2010, things started to look bright for Kevin after he moved to Italy to represent the famous red and black of AC Milan.
At Milan, he came closest to realising his potential, with a spot in the 2011 Serie A Team of the Year and bragging the prestigious Fritz Walter Medal twice.
Boateng was slotted in an all star team that included the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Andrea Pirlo, Clarence Seedorf and Ronaldinho.
The deal was made permanent after an impressive first campaign that ended with the Rossoneri winning the Scudetto. He also won the Italian Super Cup in his second year at Milan.
Post Milan Era
Schalke profited from a determined Boateng during his first two seasons back in the Bundesliga, before an ill tempered fall out resulted in him getting his first La Liga experience at Las Palmas.
He had scored 10 goals for the Spanish side which helped him earn a move to Eintracht Frankfurt where he helped them win last season’s German Cup.
He later joined Sassuolo this season and scored five goals in 15 games, taking his career total to 61 in 398 games.
Neither at the international level nor at the club level have Boateng’s accolades matched his talent. However, that may change at Barca, who is leading The La Liga and are still competing in both the Champions League and the Spanish Cup.
The Camp Nou will be the most high-profile destination so far in Boateng’s nomadic career.
However it has not been an easy first month for the Ghanaian international as he has struggled to make an impression on and off the pitch.
He has had his issues too, as his house was robbed while he was playing against Valladolid. His goal must now be to impress Valverde in training and prove that he has something to offer the team.