Eric Addo

Eric Addo

Personal information
Full name	Eric Kpakpo Addo
Date of birth	November 12, 1978 (1978-11-12)
Place of birth	Accra, Ghana
Height	182 cm[1]
Playing position	Defender
Club information
Current club	FC Eindhoven
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1995–1996	Noble Harrics
1996–1999	Club Brugge	65	(5)
1999–2009	PSV Eindhoven	82	(3)
2003	→ Roda JC (loan)	27	(0)
2009	→ Roda JC (loan)	6	(1)
2009–2011	Roda JC	25	(0)
2012–	FC Eindhoven
National team
1998–	Ghana	23	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of May 15, 2011. † Appearances (Goals).

Eric Kpakpo Addo (born November 12, 1978 in Accra) is a Ghanaian footballer. He is currently plays for Eerste divisie side FC Eindhoven.

Once heralded as a potential African great thanks to his combination of strength, pace and poise early on, Addo, a combative central defender who can also play as a defensive midfielder, had his budding career blighted by knee injuries.

Club career

Born in the Ghanaian capital Accra, Addo began his European career brightly at Club Brugge in 1996 and over three seasons at the Jan Breydelstadion made 65 appearances, scoring five goals. At Brugges, he was viewed as a potential superstar on the European stage, after bursting into the first team ranks and helping them to win the Belgian Championship. He was voted the 1997–98 Young Belgian Footballer of the Year by Belgian journalists and Ghana Player of the Year the same season. He also won the Belgian Ebony Shoe Award for being the best African player (or player with African roots) in the Belgian league. The jury was composed of the league clubs' coaches, the Belgian national team coach, sports journalists and an honorary jury.

Addo joined PSV Eindhoven during summer 1999 for fl.5.9m on a five-year contract, although he spent most of his first three years injured or as a substitute. He played just 24 times during this period, going out on loan at Roda JC for two years – before finally becoming a regular, as PSV retained their Eredivisie title in 2006. "I'm hoping now to show at Roda what I can do," Addo told Dutch magazine Voetbal International. "When I moved to PSV there was a lot of pressure and obviously it got worst when I was injured. They paid a lot of money for me. I still need to show the supporters what I am capable of and the move to Roda is the solution for me."

His last game for PSV in the UEFA Champions League was a 1–0 away loss at Anfield against Liverpool F.C., in the 2006–07 quarterfinal second leg. PSV lost 4–0 on aggregate to the 2005 UEFA Champions League winners, after losing 3–0 at home.

On April 29, 2007, Addo won his fifth Eredivisie Championship with PSV in 2006–2007, with a 5–1, final day home victory against Vitesse Arnhem. Pre-match, PSV, Ajax and AZ Alkmaar were tied on 72 points. PSV coach Ronald Koeman started Alex and Addo at the heart of defence in the decider.

Contract extension

On 3 April 2007, Addo told BBC Sport that "I will not extend my contract with PSV because things are not improving here for me. The African Cup of Nations is getting close and if I have to stay I should be guaranteed more playing time to be fit for the tournament in Ghana." He added, "The club understands my situation and they have agreed to allow me to leave at the end of the season."

Addo warms up at the African Cup of Nations 2008.

On 22 April 2007, Addo was linked with a move to Galatasaray S.K. in the Dutch media. He was also linked with FC Twente, whose manager Fred Rutten knows Addo from his time at PSV. However, on 22 May 2007, Addo changed his mind and signed a new contract extension with PSV.

On 26 October 2007, Addo was charged with 'committing an act of gross unsporting conduct' and received a four match ban from UEFA for spitting at Fenerbahçe player Semih Şentürk during an ill-tempered Champions League match on October 23. PSV later claimed that he was provoked by the striker who elbowed him moments before the incident occurred; this explanation was rejected by the association.

International career

Addo was given the chance to represent his adopted country, Belgium, in the 1998 FIFA World Cup, but instead opted to play for his homeland. However, after playing in the 1998 African Cup of Nations, he spent six years in the international wilderness.

He was a member of the Ghanaian squad at the 2006 FIFA World Cup finals, playing in all four of Ghana's games including the exit to Brazil in the second round. His last game for Ghana was against Mexico in an international friendly in London, England on 26 March 2008.

See also: 2006 FIFA World Cup (squads)

Personal life

His brother Ransford plays for Royal Antwerp. Eric Addo attended St Anthony's Preparatory School at South Odorkor in Ghana; even at this early developmental stage, he showed great ability when playing soccer with his peers and student in grades ahead of him.

Major honors and awards

Club

PSV Eindhoven

• Eredivisie (Dutch League) Winner: 1999-00, 2000–01, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08
• KNVB beker (Dutch Cup) Winner: 2004–05
• Johan Cruijff schaal (Dutch Super Cup) Winner: 1999-00, 2000–01
• KNVB beker (Dutch Cup) Finalist medal: 2006
• Johan Cruijff schaal (Dutch Super Cup) Finalist medal: 2006, 2005

Club Brugge

• Belgian First Division Winner: 1997–98
• Belgian Supercup Winner: 1996, 1998

Individual

• Belgian Young Footballer of the Year Winner: 1997–98
• Belgian Ebony Shoe Award Winner: 1998
• Ghana Footballer of the Year Award Winner: 1998

Ghana

• Africa Cup of Nations Bronze Medal: 2008
• Africa Cup of Nations Silver Medal: 2010
• FIFA World Cup last 16: 2006

External links

• (English) PSV bio
• Fifa 2006 World Cup Profile
• UEFA Champions League Profile

Preceded by Emile Mpenza

Belgian Young Footballer of the Year 1997–1998

Succeeded by Walter Baseggio