Black Stars forward, Joseph Paintsil, has described his first season with LA Galaxy in the Major League Soccer (MLS) as nothing short of a dream come true.
After winning his first MLS Cup on his debut season, Paintsil shared his thoughts with The BAC Sports, on what made his debut season amazing and what it meant to him as a player.
“For me, it’s like a dream,” Paintsil said, reflecting on his journey. “Normally, wherever I go, especially outside, when I get a lot of playing time, I always show myself. That’s what every player needs—the numbers, the time, the games to build confidence and do more. For me, having that kind of opportunity and advantage, playing each and every game, it was amazing. I think I only missed three, four, or maybe five games the whole season, despite my injury and everything.”
Paintsil’s consistent performances throughout the season not only solidified his importance to the team but also highlighted his resilience in overcoming setbacks.
“So for me, it was really an amazing season,” he continued. “Wherever I find myself, when I play a full season, I always deliver the numbers, and I’m proud of that. I just keep going. This season is also going to be fantastic, and I hope it will be another season where we lift the trophy again. That would be incredible.” He added.
The Ghanaian International’s season, however, wasn’t without its obstacles. One of the team’s key players, Riqui Puig, suffered an injury that threatened to derail their momentum. Paintsil shared how the team rallied around, using his absence as motivation to push harder.
“Having Riqui, and then being injured, was sad for us. But we knew what the team was capable of. I told Riqui I was going to do everything possible to win that trophy for him because it meant so much to him. When he was there with Chicharito and the rest of the players before, they never had the opportunity. They weren’t even close. So this time, we said, ‘Okay, let’s do it for Riqui. Even when I scored, I took his jersey to show the world that I was fighting for the club, for Riqui, and for my family.”
Winning the MLS Cup was not just a personal victory for Paintsil, but also a significant moment for Ghanaian football.
“I feel blessed—not just for me winning, but for Ghanaians being on the radar for winning the MLS, It’s a plus for us. Our senior Jonathan Mensah won it, my friend Yaw Yeboah won it, and now I’ve won it. This will inspire more Ghanaians to also try and win something, whether in the MLS or even outside Europe. It shows we can perform at the highest level.” He explained.
Paintsil scored 14 goals and provided 11 assists for LA Galaxy last season in the MLS.