Ghana defender Jonathan Mensah is proud to have been named as captain of Major League Soccer side Columbus Crew for the new season.

The 29-year-old captained Crew in their season opener against New York City FC which they won 1-0 on Sunday.

And on Monday, he was confirmed as substantive captain.

He becomes the first African-born to captain the Black & Gold.

Mensah is now the first non-American to have the captaincy since Federico Higuain in 2013.

In his fourth season, Mensah has been a leader for the team during his time with the club and is a bridge between eras and a well-respected player in the locker room.

He started his reign with a win as Columbus Crew beat New York City FC 1-0 at home on Sunday, 1 March 2020.