Get your scarves and foam fingers ready, because this is going to be an electrifying ride! Nii Odartey Lamptey's path from Ghana's slums to football stardom was a saga of extraordinary talent overshadowed by tragedy and betrayal.
A Childhood of Pain
Credit: Citi Sports
As a child, Lamptey was regularly abused by his family members, especially his father when he was drunk. His father would burn him with cigarettes. The abuse was so severe that Lamptey would sometimes sleep in an abandoned car to avoid going home.
After his parents divorced, his mom didn't want to take care of him. He had to decide between living with his dad or being homeless, and he didn't hesitate to choose homelessness. Luckily, the director of a youth team saw him playing outside and took him in. But the director required him to convert to Islam and disconnect from his Christian father and he converted.
After his parents divorced, his mom didn't want to take care of him. He had to decide between living with his dad or being homeless, and he didn't hesitate to choose homelessness. Luckily, the director of a youth team saw him playing outside and took him in. But the director required him to convert to Islam and disconnect from his Christian father and he converted.
From the Streets to Stardom
As a child, Lamptey was regularly abused by his family members, especially his father when he was drunk. His father would burn him with cigarettes. The abuse was so severe that Lamptey would sometimes sleep in an abandoned car to avoid going home. After his parents divorced, his mom didn't want to take care of him. He had to decide between living with his dad or being homeless, and he didn't hesitate to choose homelessness. Luckily, the director of a youth team saw him playing outside and took him in. But the director required him to convert to Islam and disconnect from his Christian father and he converted.
The Great Escape
Odartey lamptey and Steven Keshi
The Ghanaian federation took Lamptey's passport so he couldn't leave without permission. While Lamptey was in Scotland for the World Cup, Nigerian captain Stephen Keshi convinced Anderlecht to sign him. Keshi then sent his agent to the national team's camp.
In Lamptey’s own words: “Once the FA caught him, they wanted to bring in the police. I had to beg on his behalf; otherwise, they would have had him arrested. But as they escorted him out, he managed to give me his card and told me ‘Keshi wants to bring you to Europe.’'
Two months later, Lamptey returned to Ghana without his passport. He used the money he earned from the tournament to pay a taxi driver to help him illegally cross three borders to get to Nigeria. In his own words “I didn’t tell anybody, not even my parents. Every time we came to a border, I got out of the cab and entered the next country on foot. Each time I paid someone to guide me through the bushes; it was hell. I had to run as fast as I could; one minute too late and the taxi would move on without me.”
Keshi himself flew to Nigeria so he could bring Lamptey back to Belgium, posing as his son, with a fake passport reading “Stephen Keshi Jr.”
In Lamptey’s own words: “Once the FA caught him, they wanted to bring in the police. I had to beg on his behalf; otherwise, they would have had him arrested. But as they escorted him out, he managed to give me his card and told me ‘Keshi wants to bring you to Europe.’'
Two months later, Lamptey returned to Ghana without his passport. He used the money he earned from the tournament to pay a taxi driver to help him illegally cross three borders to get to Nigeria. In his own words “I didn’t tell anybody, not even my parents. Every time we came to a border, I got out of the cab and entered the next country on foot. Each time I paid someone to guide me through the bushes; it was hell. I had to run as fast as I could; one minute too late and the taxi would move on without me.”
Keshi himself flew to Nigeria so he could bring Lamptey back to Belgium, posing as his son, with a fake passport reading “Stephen Keshi Jr.”
The Football Mafia
Only six days after his 16th birthday, Lamptey came in and scored on his debut. This 16-year-old was already going head to head against Rudi Völler in a European quarter-final, and no matter what the stakes, he scored again.
By the end of the season, not only were Anderlecht champions, but no one, not even Luc Nillis, had managed to score more goals than Lamptey since the day of his debut.
Antonio Caliendo, the same agent who represented the likes of Baggio and Dunga. When he heard about Lamptey, well, this is how he told the story himself: “I was still a baby; I didn’t even know how to read, so he went straight to my father. He came to Ghana and put enough money on the table to convince him to give me up. There was no way for me to even know details of the contract, but from that moment on, he had complete power over me.”
Every dime the kid made had to be passed through him first; it was complete extortion. But not knowing any better at the time, the kid kept going. That same summer, he became the youngest person to ever play for the Ghanaian🇬🇭 national team and once again quickly got his first goal as well.
By the end of the season, not only were Anderlecht champions, but no one, not even Luc Nillis, had managed to score more goals than Lamptey since the day of his debut.
Antonio Caliendo, the same agent who represented the likes of Baggio and Dunga. When he heard about Lamptey, well, this is how he told the story himself: “I was still a baby; I didn’t even know how to read, so he went straight to my father. He came to Ghana and put enough money on the table to convince him to give me up. There was no way for me to even know details of the contract, but from that moment on, he had complete power over me.”
Every dime the kid made had to be passed through him first; it was complete extortion. But not knowing any better at the time, the kid kept going. That same summer, he became the youngest person to ever play for the Ghanaian🇬🇭 national team and once again quickly got his first goal as well.
World Cup Heroics
He represented the U17 team at the World Cup after his success with the U16 team. He scored two goals in the opening game to help secure a comeback win, and then scored two more goals against Brazil and Uruguay.
He topped the goal-scoring charts, was named player of the tournament, and helped Ghana become World Champions. He also made it into the top five of the African Player of the Year award, surpassing players like Del Piero and Verón.
I can’t stress this enough!!, it was a 16-year-old (Same age as Yamine Yamal) going up against the likes of George Weah. Of course, there were rumors of Real Madrid and Barcelona doing the rounds, but maybe even more impressively, there were claims of Marseille trying to sign him as the heir to Papin’s legacy.
However, no one managed to bring forward the $10 million release clause that Caliendo had placed on the teenager’s head.
He topped the goal-scoring charts, was named player of the tournament, and helped Ghana become World Champions. He also made it into the top five of the African Player of the Year award, surpassing players like Del Piero and Verón.
I can’t stress this enough!!, it was a 16-year-old (Same age as Yamine Yamal) going up against the likes of George Weah. Of course, there were rumors of Real Madrid and Barcelona doing the rounds, but maybe even more impressively, there were claims of Marseille trying to sign him as the heir to Papin’s legacy.
However, no one managed to bring forward the $10 million release clause that Caliendo had placed on the teenager’s head.
From Glory to a Perpetual Cycle of Betrayal and Misfortune
The prince of football was named to replace none other than the legendary Romário at PSV. Despite his debut goal getting called offside and Lamptey being falsely accused of match-fixing, as explained:
“Once I got to PSV, everything changed. The first person to welcome me was Romário himself. The day after, Ronaldo arrived. The three of us did everything together; we played together, went out together, even ate together. It was the best time of my life; I played without a single worry.”
Not only did PSV win the cup, but with Lamptey’s brace against Feyenoord in the semi-final, he became the tournament’s top scorer. However, once the season was done, he got sent back to Italy and even after the best year of his life, it was all downhill from there.
The moment his agent figured he could sign Gullit to take his place, he used a loophole to cancel the contract altogether.
He forced a move to Aston Villa, going from the biggest young player on the planet to a substitute who couldn’t even complete a pass on his debut. It got so bad that his own team-mates refused to pass to him for the rest of the match.
A new cycle began. Over and over, the pattern kept repeating itself. A manager would sign him on the back of his past glory, the dressing room would turn on him, and once the agent had collected his fee, he would force another move. The list of clubs he played for includes the likes of Venice, Leiria, Unión, and Shandong, but the issues weren’t limited to a single continent. At each club, he got the same treatment. At one point, the Indonesian FA accused him of witchcraft and demanded his deportation.
“Once I got to PSV, everything changed. The first person to welcome me was Romário himself. The day after, Ronaldo arrived. The three of us did everything together; we played together, went out together, even ate together. It was the best time of my life; I played without a single worry.”
Not only did PSV win the cup, but with Lamptey’s brace against Feyenoord in the semi-final, he became the tournament’s top scorer. However, once the season was done, he got sent back to Italy and even after the best year of his life, it was all downhill from there.
The moment his agent figured he could sign Gullit to take his place, he used a loophole to cancel the contract altogether.
He forced a move to Aston Villa, going from the biggest young player on the planet to a substitute who couldn’t even complete a pass on his debut. It got so bad that his own team-mates refused to pass to him for the rest of the match.
A new cycle began. Over and over, the pattern kept repeating itself. A manager would sign him on the back of his past glory, the dressing room would turn on him, and once the agent had collected his fee, he would force another move. The list of clubs he played for includes the likes of Venice, Leiria, Unión, and Shandong, but the issues weren’t limited to a single continent. At each club, he got the same treatment. At one point, the Indonesian FA accused him of witchcraft and demanded his deportation.
The Ultimate Betrayal
Odartey and the ex wife
After facing challenges on the field, he discovered that ALL his three children were not biologically his, but the result of his wife's long-term affair.
Despite feeling devastated and contemplating suicide, he found motivation in the situation. “I did think about ending it all, I still cry to this day thinking that I shouldn’t be here, but it motivates me, I don’t feel like a loser, but a survivor who refused to be destroyed”.
Despite feeling devastated and contemplating suicide, he found motivation in the situation. “I did think about ending it all, I still cry to this day thinking that I shouldn’t be here, but it motivates me, I don’t feel like a loser, but a survivor who refused to be destroyed”.
Now
Odartey Lamptey With New Wife And 3 Lovely Children
Today, Lamptey is happily remarried and a father of three daughters. He has established a school with its own football academy to support young talented kids and prevent them from experiencing the hardships he faced. Recently, he witnessed one of his pupils, Mohamed Muntari, score Qatar's first-ever World Cup goal.
Although Lamptey did not achieve the success Pelé predicted for him, his resilience and determination are evident in his life story. He is revered as a king by the children who have passed through his academy. Nii Odartey Lamptey serves as an inspiration to many, and his remarkable story deserves to be shared. He is a remarkable individual, and we wish him all the best in life.
Although Lamptey did not achieve the success Pelé predicted for him, his resilience and determination are evident in his life story. He is revered as a king by the children who have passed through his academy. Nii Odartey Lamptey serves as an inspiration to many, and his remarkable story deserves to be shared. He is a remarkable individual, and we wish him all the best in life.
