Who is Christian Atsu, African football star still missing 10 days after Turkey earthquake? | Photo: Agencies
The Ghana player, former English Premier League star, has been missing ever since the tragedy. It has been over 10 days since any information regarding Atsu’s whereabouts. Hours before the devastating earthquake struck Turkey last week, well-known African footballer Christian Atsu had scored a last-minute winning goal for his club Hatayspor.
Conflicting reports earlier in the week had claimed that he had been rescued but they have since been denied. Two pairs of his shoes were recently discovered from the rubble, as his agent confirmed that there was still no positive report regarding the footballer. Hours before the devastating earthquake struck Turkey last week, well-known African footballer Christian Atsu had scored a last-minute winning goal for his club Hatayspor.
It has been 9 days since the earthquake and we still have not located Christian.
I am at the quake site in Hatay with Christian’s family. The scenes are unimaginable and our hearts are broken for all the people affected.
— Nana Sechere (@iAmNana7) February 14, 2023
Who is Christian Atsu?
The 31-year-old winger currently plays for Turkish club Hatayspor and Ghana national team. He has previously been in the ranks at globally famous English football clubs like Chelsea and Newcastle United. He had joined the Turkish club based in Antakya city, near the earthquake’s epicentre, only last year. The city is one of the hardest hit in the quake that has claimed over 35,000 lives.
Atsu started his footballing career in Portugal with FC Porto before being signed by PL giants Chelsea in 2013 for 3.5 million UK pounds. He played for several clubs on loan including Everton and Bournemoth in England and Malaga in Spain. He then joined Newcastle United in 2017.
He has played over 60 times for his country since making his debut in 2012, representing Ghana at FIFA World Cup 2014 and the African Cup of Nations four times. He won the African Cup of Nations’ Player and Goal of the Tournament awards in 2015 as he helped his team finish runners-up.
He was born in Ghana’s Greater Accra Region. Atsu is a practising Christian. He shares verses from the Bible on social media. He is married to Marie-Claire Rupio, who is an author. The couple have three children, a daughter and two sons.
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