Derek Boateng

Derek Boateng

Personal information
Full name	Derek Owusu Boateng
Date of birth	2 May 1983 (1983-05-02)
Place of birth	Accra, Greater Accra, Ghana
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Playing position	Central Defender / Defensive Midfielder
Club information
Current club	FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk
Number	36
Youth career
	Liberty Professionals
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1999–2001	Kalamata	27	(9)
2001–2003	Panathinaikos	24	(3)
2002–2003	→ OFI Crete (loan)	12	(1)
2003–2006	AIK	55	(5)
2006–2008	Beitar Jerusalem	72	(8)
2009	1. FC Köln	10	(0)
2009–2011	Getafe	61	(2)
2011–	Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk	15	(0)
National team‡
2001–	Ghana	30	(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 30 December 2010. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 24 January 2012

Derek Owusu Boateng ( /ˈboʊtɛŋ/ boh-teng) (born 2 May 1983) is a Ghanaian professional footballer who currently plays as a Central Defender or defensive midfielder for Ukrainian club Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk in the Ukrainian Premier League and the Ghana national team.

Club career

Early career

Boateng was born in Accra, Greater Accra, where he played for the local side Liberty Professionals.

Greece

He signed for Kalamata F.C. in Greece when he was 16. In 2001, Boateng joined antother Greek Super League club Panathinaikos. In 2002, Boateng was unable to keep his place in the Panathinaikos squad and was sent on loan to OFI Crete.

AIK

He signed for AIK in August 2003.^{[citation needed]} In the 2004 season, AIK was relegated from Allsvenskan for the third time in the history of the club.In the following season, AIK gained promotion after winning the Superettan in style, distancing runners-up Östers IF by nine points. Boateng extended his contract with AIK for one more year until the end of 2007.^{[citation needed]} When he left for Beitar Jerusalem, Boateng stated in an interview that he loves Sweden and AIK, and that he one day will come back to Allsvenskan and AIK the team he supports.

Derek Boateng training with 1. FC Köln

Beitar Jerusalem

In July 2006, he signed with Beitar Jerusalem until January 2009. Boateng helped Beitar Jerusalem to win the league for the fifth time in their history, and for the first time for 10 years, contributing four goals in the campaign.

The 2007–08 season started off poorly for Boateng, as he got sent off during Beitar Jerusalem's first official game of the season, in leg one of the second qualifying round for the 2007–08 UEFA Champions League, away to F.C. Copenhagen. Beitar Jerusalem lost 2–1 on aggregate and were eliminated. Boateng ended the season with another championship for Beitar Jerusalem. At the Israel State Cup final, Boateng missed a penalty in a thrilling penalty shootout against Hapoel Tel-Aviv, but Beitar Jerusalem secured the title with a 5–4 win at the shootout, and secured an historical double. Boateng contributed with five league goals and was voted the Best Foreign Player of the Year.^{[citation needed]}

The 2008–09 season started with yet another early elimination at the second qualification round for the UEFA Champions League, this time with a 5–0 away defeat to Wisła Kraków, and 6–2 in aggregate.

Köln and Getafe

On 21 January 2009, Boateng signed a four-year contract with 1. FC Köln. However, on 31 July 2009, Getafe CF signed him from Köln for one million euros. He stayed at the Spanish club for just over two seasons, making 61 appearances and scoring two goals.

Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk

On 20 June 2011, Boateng completed a move to Ukrainian club FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk, signing a four-year contract. After a promising start for Boateng, Dnipro face competition from the side that eliminated them from the 2011–12 UEFA Europa League.

International career

While playing for Panathinaikos in 2001, Boateng also played for the Ghana national football team at the FIFA World Youth Championship in Argentina, in which Ghana progressed to the final. After participating in a friendly with Ghana against French club Nice, he was selected for the Ghana squad at the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He made his first FIFA World Cup appearance on 17 June 2006, when he replaced Otto Addo at half-time in the 2–0 win against the Czech Republic. He was also selected for the national team for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, in which Ghana progressed to the quarterfinals.

Honours

• Superettan (1):
  • 2005

• Israeli Premier League
  • 2006–07, 2007–08

• Israel State Cup (1):
  • 2008

Ghana

• FIFA World Youth Championship runner-up: 2001

External links

• Derek Boateng at aik.se (Swedish)