Former Ghana international Jonathan Mensah announced his retirement from professional football on Monday, November 9, 2024. The 36‑year‑old, who began his career with Ashanti Gold, said he was “satisfied with the career I have built” and expressed gratitude to everyone who had supported him. Mensah’s international career spanned 15 years, during which he earned 70 caps for the Black Stars. He represented Ghana at the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups and at several Africa Cup of Nations tournaments. In 2009 he was part of the Ghana U‑20 squad that won the African Youth Championship and later lifted the FIFA U‑20 World Cup in Egypt. At club level, Mensah played in Ghana, South Africa, Italy, Spain, France, Russia, and the United States. His clubs included Free State Stars, Udinese, Granada, Evian Thonon Gaillard, Anzhi Makhachkala, Columbus Crew, San Jose Earthquakes and New England Revolution. In his retirement statement, Mensah singled out his time with the Columbus Crew as particularly meaningful. “To Columbus, Ohio, and the Columbus Crew family, you gave me more than a club. You gave me a home. This city and this organisation will always hold a special place in my heart,” he wrote. Mensah concluded his career with a note of thanks: “Today, I close one chapter with a heart full of gratitude. While my playing career comes to an end, my relationship with football never will.”
Article source: My Joy Online | Image credit: My Joy Online