Wilberforce Mfum, legendary former Asante Kotoko and Ghana national team striker, has passed away at the age of 88 on May 11, 2025, after a short illness.
Fondly known as “The Bulldozer,” Mfum etched his name in Ghanaian football history by scoring the nation’s first-ever goal at the Africa Cup of Nations in 1963. He later netted twice in the final against Sudan, helping the Black Stars claim their maiden AFCON title.
With 20 goals in just 26 appearances for Ghana, Mfum was also part of the national squad that competed at the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
At club level, he played for Asante Kotoko before moving abroad in 1968 to join the Baltimore Bays in the National Professional Soccer League. He later featured for Ukrainian SC and the Ukrainian Nationals in the American Soccer League, where he shared the 1970 top scorer title with Juan Paletta. In 1971, he signed with the New York Cosmos in the North American Soccer League.