On this day January 4, 2002 (Exactly 19 years ago today) former Black Stars and Bayern Munich defender, Samuel Osei Kuffour was named as the BBC African Player of the Year.

He beat Sierra Leone’s Mohammed Kallon and Senegal’s El Hadj Diouf to win the award.

Thousands of fans took part in the online poll, with Kuffour gaining 55% of the votes cast.

How they finished 1 – Samuel Kuffour (Ghana) 2 – Mohammed Kallon (Sierra Leone) 3 – Al Hadj Diouf (Senegal)

The then Black Stars defender told the BBC that he was delighted to win the award.

“Today is the fourth, I am the fourth born in my family, and I always wear shirt number four!”, he said.

Kuffour was a key part of the Bayern Munich team that won the UEFA Champions League in May 2001 and the Bundesliga title.

He also scored the only goal in the World Club Cup Final against Argentina’s Boca Juniors.

Kuffour was one of the few African defensive players to be recognized at that time.

His consistency at Bayern made him one of Europe’s most sort-after central defenders.