Sports News of Thursday, 16 April 2020

Source: ghanasoccernet.com

Ghana legend Abdul Razak narrates how commentator nicknamed him 'Golden Boy'

Abdul Razak Abdul Razak

Ghana legend Abdul Karim Razak has revealed he earned his nickname ''Golden Boy' from former ace commentator Harry Thompson.

He adds that a publication in the Daily Graphic also helped perfume that moniker to the rest of the world.

Thompson, then working for the state-owned Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), curated that name for Razak when he was commentating on African Cup qualifying second leg match against Mali at the Accra Sports Stadium.

The Black Stars won 3-1 with Razk scoring the brace.

"I scored a brace for Ghana during the second leg in Accra and I learnt that in the course of his commentary,'' the former Kotoko star told Graphic Sports Online.

"I don’t know if it was because of my colour or the skilful manner in which I controlled and distributed the ball, split defenders apart to create goal-scoring chances, or scored goals that made him call me so.

"The following day I saw my pictures splashed in Daily Graphic with the accolade 'Golden Boy'.

"The name stuck like a leech and it became a?household one, especially during the 1978 Africa Cup of Nations where I played very well and scored one of the best goals in the tournament during the semi-final match against World Cup-bound Tunisia.

''In the match against Tunisia, Harry Thompson described me as the Golden Boy, scoring a Golden Goal to qualify Ghana to play against Uganda in the grand final.''

The 1978 African Footballer of the Year added: ''My goal against Tunisia was a nice one by all standards, and Harry Thompson was beside himself with a lot of descriptive words. The following day my name and pictures were all over the newspapers, especially Daily Graphic.''