The goalkeeper you see prostrating in front of you is genuinely living the best days of his life.
This is Benjamin Asare, Ghana’s 33-year-old goalkeeper, who made three saves today and kept a clean sheet against England before celebrating after the game with this prostration.
What makes his story special is that almost nobody knew who he was. For most of his career, he played in Ghana’s second division. On top of that, his financial situation was so difficult that he had to work on cocoa farms for three straight years just to support his family and keep his football dream alive.
The remarkable part is that Asare kept pushing until he earned a move to Ghanaian top-flight side Accra Hearts of Oak in 2025. He then received his first-ever call-up to the Ghana national team during the World Cup qualifiers, where he played six games and conceded just one goal.
Asare went on to become the first Ghanaian player in history to represent his country at a World Cup while playing in the domestic league. He also made six saves across games against Panama and England and didn’t concede a single goal.
Glory to those who never stop working for their dreams. To every Ghanaian reading this: congratulations. You should be proud. Stories like Benjamin Asare’s are what make football beautiful, and seeing one of your own rise from cocoa farms to the World Cup stage is something worth celebrating. 🇬🇭❤️
Goalkeeper Benjamin Asare plays for Hearts of Oak in the Ghana Premier League.
He’s spent his entire club career in Ghana.
Now he’s kept a clean sheet against England at the World Cup, a nation whose players all feature in Europe’s top leagues 😮👏