World Cup Squad Spotlight: Isaac Vorsah

Date of Birth: 21 June 1988
Height: 195 cm
Shirt number: 15
Position: Defender
Current club: Hoffenheim (GER)
International Caps: 14
International Goals: 0
First international: Ghana - Benin
(29 March 2009)

Club History

Hoffenheim (GER): From 2008 to 2009
Asante Kotoko (GHA): From 2007 to 2008
Gamba All Blacks (GHA): From 2005 to 2007

Isaac Vorsah was one of the best players at the 2010 CAF Africa Cup of Nations after a Herculean role at the back for the Black Stars. He did not miss a single minute of action for the under-strength Ghanaians, who proved their potential by reaching the final of the tournament in Angola despite having a squad badly depleted by injury and suspension. Vorsah’s role in centre defence was that of a towering colossus, proving the backbone for Ghana to advance to an unlikely runners-up berth. Vorsah usually operates in central midfield but came to the rescue of his country in a role in which he was untouchable.

Vorsah has made the Black Stars side through an unusual route, not the regular path through the country’s successful junior national sides. Instead Vorsah slowly built his career in the Ghanaian Premier League, eventually making a dramatic impact with Asante Kotoko. He actually spent just six months with the club but his reputation quickly spread, leading to a move to Germany with TSG Hoffenheim. Vorsah, who was first on loan at Hoffenheim but now has a contact until mid-2011, was part of the fairytale run in the 2008/09 Bundesliga season. He had helped them up from the second division and is now in his third season with the club, although after returning from Angola in February he suffered a serious knee ligament injury.

Vorsah first got a call-up in 2007 for the Black Stars’ friendly in London against Senegal but did not make his debut until some 18 months later, at the start of the final group phase of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ qualifiers against Benin. He also played in the qualifiers against Mali, Sudan and Benin again as the Black Stars reached a second successive FIFA World Cup tournament.