Legendary Ghanaian Striker Wilberforce Mfum Dies At 88

Wilberforce Mfum

Source: Africa Publicity

Wilberforce Mfum, the player who scored Ghana’s first-ever goal at the 1963 AFCON, has died, age 88.

His death has sent the Ghanaian football community into a state of mourning.

Africa Publicity understands he passed onto glory after a short illness on Sunday, May 11, 2025.

Nicknamed “The Bulldozer” for his strength and goal-scoring prowess, Mfum was a key figure in Ghana’s rise on the African football stage.

He made history at the 1963 Africa Cup of Nations by scoring Ghana’s first-ever goal at the tournament and later bagged a brace in the final against Sudan, leading the Black Stars to their maiden continental triumph.
Mfum scored 20 goals in 26 appearances for Ghana and featured at the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo. At club level, he starred for Asante Kotoko before venturing abroad, where he played in the U.S. for clubs such as Baltimore Bays, Ukrainian SC, Ukrainian Nationals, and New York Cosmos.

In 1970, he was joint top scorer in the American Soccer League and later became one of the early African players in the North American Soccer League. His legacy as a powerful forward and pioneer in international football endures in Ghana’s sporting history.