Wilberforce Mfum
Encyclopedia
Wilberforce "Willie" Mfum is a retired Ghanaian football (soccer)
forward
who played professionally in Ghana and the United States. He was a member of the Ghanaian Olympic soccer team at the 1964 Summer Olympics
.
in his native Ghana. In 1968, Mfum played for the Baltimore Bays
of the National Professional Soccer League
. In 1969, he joined Ukrainian SC of the German American Soccer League
. In 1970, Mfum played for the Ukrainian Nationals of the American Soccer League
. That season, he shared the ASL scoring title with Juan Paletta
. In 1971, he signed with the New York Cosmos
of the North American Soccer League
.
. He also played for the Ghana national football team
. In 1963, he scored two goals in the final of the 1963 African Cup of Nations
as Ghana took the title. He was the second leading scorer at the 1968 African Cup of Nations
as Ghana finished runner-up.
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
forward
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
who played professionally in Ghana and the United States. He was a member of the Ghanaian Olympic soccer team at the 1964 Summer Olympics
1964 Summer Olympics
The 1964 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Tokyo, Japan in 1964. Tokyo had been awarded with the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subsequently passed to Helsinki because of Japan's...
.
Club career
Mfum played for Asante KotokoAsante Kotoko
Asante Kotoko Football Club, also known as Asante Kotoko, is one of the biggest and most successful football clubs in Ghana as well as being one of the more successful teams in Africa, having won twenty national league titles. They have also twice been champions of Africa. The club's home ground is...
in his native Ghana. In 1968, Mfum played for the Baltimore Bays
Baltimore Bays
The first Baltimore Bays were a professional soccer team based out of Baltimore, Maryland. It was one of ten charter members of the National Professional Soccer League in 1967. The team would become a part of the North American Soccer League , which was the result of a merger between the NPSL and...
of the National Professional Soccer League
National Professional Soccer League (1967)
The National Professional Soccer League was a North American professional soccer league that existed for only the 1967 season before merging with the United Soccer Association to form the North American Soccer League. It had ten charter members, nine from the United States and one from Canada...
. In 1969, he joined Ukrainian SC of the German American Soccer League
German American Soccer League
The German American Soccer League is the previous name of the Cosmopolitan Soccer League, a semi-professional and amateur soccer league which was founded in 1923. The league competes primarily in the New York metropolitan area and northern New Jersey.-History:In 1923, five teams, S.C. New York,...
. In 1970, Mfum played for the Ukrainian Nationals of the American Soccer League
American Soccer League
The American Soccer League has been a name used by three different professional soccer leagues in the United States. The first American Soccer League was established in 1921 by the merger of teams from the National Association Football League and the Southern New England Soccer League. For...
. That season, he shared the ASL scoring title with Juan Paletta
Juan Paletta
Juan Paletta is a retired Argentinian football forward who played in the North American Soccer League and American Soccer League who shared the ASL scoring title in 1970....
. In 1971, he signed with the New York Cosmos
New York Cosmos
The New York Cosmos were an American soccer club based in New York City, New York and its suburbs. The team played home games in three stadiums around New York before moving in 1977 to Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, where it remained for the rest of its history...
of the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
.
National team
Mfum played for the Ghana Olympic football team at the 1964 Summer Olympics1964 Summer Olympics
The 1964 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Tokyo, Japan in 1964. Tokyo had been awarded with the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subsequently passed to Helsinki because of Japan's...
. He also played for the Ghana national football team
Ghana national football team
The Ghana national football team, popularly known as the Black Stars, is the national association football team of Ghana and is controlled by the Ghana Football Association...
. In 1963, he scored two goals in the final of the 1963 African Cup of Nations
1963 African Cup of Nations
The 1963 African Cup of Nations was the fourth edition of the African Cup of Nations, the association football championship of Africa . It was hosted by Ghana. For the third consecutive time the hosts won the African Cup. The format changed: two groups of 3 teams each, the winners played the final,...
as Ghana took the title. He was the second leading scorer at the 1968 African Cup of Nations
1968 African Cup of Nations
The 1968 African Cup of Nations was the sixth edition of the African Cup of Nations, the soccer championship of Africa . It was hosted by Ethiopia. The field expanded to eight teams, split into two groups of four; the top two teams in each group advanced to the semifinals...
as Ghana finished runner-up.