Former Spokesperson of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) Ibrahim Sani Daara has revealed how Black Stars player Christian Atsu touched lives outside the pitch.
Sani Daara, who is currently in the Ivory Coast on Confederation of African Football (CAF) and West African Football Union (WAFU) duties, further revealed that Christian Atsu had texted him weeks before the tragic earthquake that he did not want to continue his career in Turkey.
“He texted me that he did not want to play in Turkey any more,” the former GFA Spokesperson said on TV3‘s Midday Live on Saturday, February 18.
He said the deceased footballer had expressed interest to move to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to ply his trade.
On the lives Atsu touched, Sani Daara narrated how the former Black Stars paid for the entire goods being sold by a girl in Cape Coast, where the senior men’s soccer team had pitched camp ahead of an official game.
He said Christian Atsu asked for the total amount and paid for it, asking the girl to give the money to her mother to get her back into school.
Atsu’s mortal remains were recovered on Saturday morning under the rubble of the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that rocked Turkey and Syria on Monday, February 6.
Over 41,000 lives have been lost with many injured. A few survivors have been rescued though hopes recede close to a fortnight after the disaster.
Atsu had scored for Hatayspor Kulubu, their only goal in that game, the day before the disaster struck.
He signed for the Turkish Super Lig side in September last year on an initial one-year contract, making only three appearances.
He signed from Saudi side Al-Raed, having plied his trade in Portugal, England, Holland and Spain.
His body is due in Ghana soon for burial.
