Michael Essien

Date of birth03 December 1982
Place of birthAccra
NationalityGhanian
Weight78 kg
Height1.80 m
PositionMidfielder

The Ghana international's career started with Liberty Professionals.

Michael Essien had an unsuccessful trial with Manchester United and moved on to Bastia and then to Olympique Lyonnais.

A truly magnificent midfielder, he won two league titles with Lyon and the French Player of the Year award for 2005 after which he joined Chelsea in August 2005 for £24.4 million with a four-year contract.

Michael's contract at Chelsea was extended to June 2012 in March 2007, to June 2013 in July 2008 and to June 2015 in June 2010.

Club history

Team Joined Left Loan / Trialist
SC Bastia 01 Jul 2000 01 Jul 2003
Olympique Lyonnais 01 Jul 2003 19 Aug 2005
Chelsea 19 Aug 2005 27 Jan 2014
Real Madrid 31 Aug 2012 31 May 2013 L
AC Milan 27 Jan 2014 30 Jun 2015
Panathinaikos 01 Jul 2015 20 Sep 2016
Persib Bandung 14 Mar 2017

Club stats

Season Team Competition Apps Subs Goals Y R
2000-01 SC Bastia French Championnat 4
9
1
2001-02 SC Bastia French Championnat 23
1
4
5
2
2002-03 SC Bastia French Championnat 29
6
11
1
2003-04 Olympique Lyonnais French Championnat 25
9
3
7
1
2003-04 Olympique Lyonnais UEFA Champions League 7
1
2004-05 Olympique Lyonnais French Championnat 36
1
4
11
1
2004-05 Olympique Lyonnais UEFA Champions League 2
2005-06 Chelsea FA Cup 3
1
2005-06 Chelsea League Cup 1
1
2005-06 Chelsea Premier League 27
4
2
5
2005-06 Chelsea UEFA Champions League 6
2006-07 Chelsea FA Community Shield 1
2006-07 Chelsea FA Cup 4
1
1
2006-07 Chelsea League Cup 6
1
2
2006-07 Chelsea Premier League 33
2
5
2006-07 Chelsea UEFA Champions League 10
2
3
2007-08 Chelsea FA Community Shield 1
2007-08 Chelsea FA Cup 1
1
2007-08 Chelsea League Cup 3
1
2007-08 Chelsea Premier League 23
4
6
5
1
2007-08 Chelsea UEFA Champions League 11
1
4
2008-09 Chelsea FA Cup 2
1
2008-09 Chelsea Premier League 10
1
1
2008-09 Chelsea UEFA Champions League 5
2
1
2009-10 Chelsea FA Community Shield 1
2009-10 Chelsea League Cup
1
2009-10 Chelsea Premier League 13
1
3
2
2009-10 Chelsea UEFA Champions League 5
1
1
2
2010-11 Chelsea FA Community Shield 1
2010-11 Chelsea FA Cup 1
1
2010-11 Chelsea Premier League 32
1
3
5
1
2010-11 Chelsea UEFA Champions League 7
1
1
1
2011-12 Chelsea FA Cup
3
2011-12 Chelsea Premier League 10
4
3
2011-12 Chelsea UEFA Champions League 1
1
2012-13 Real Madrid UEFA Champions League 6
1
2
2013-14 Chelsea FA Cup 1
2013-14 Chelsea League Cup 2
1
3
2013-14 Chelsea Premier League 2
3
2


Please note: Career stats are based on performances in the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.

Club matches

Date Match Result Competition Round
30 Sep 2000 Bastia v Metz W 1-0 French Championnat 10
13 Oct 2000 Bastia v AS Monaco L 0-2 French Championnat 11
04 Nov 2000 RC Lens v Bastia L 4-0 French Championnat 14
18 Nov 2000 Guingamp v Bastia L 1-0 French Championnat 16
25 Nov 2000 Bastia v Olympique Marseille W 3-0 French Championnat 17
21 Dec 2000 Lille v Bastia L 1-0 French Championnat 22
27 Jan 2001 Rennes v Bastia W 1-2 French Championnat 24
07 Feb 2001 Metz v Bastia L 3-2 French Championnat 26
17 Feb 2001 AS Monaco v Bastia L 2-1 French Championnat 27
03 Mar 2001 Bastia v Troyes D 2-2 French Championnat 28
17 Mar 2001 Saint Etienne v Bastia L 2-1 French Championnat 29
14 Apr 2001 Nantes v Bastia D 0-0 French Championnat 31
19 May 2001 Bastia v Toulouse W 5-1 French Championnat 34
28 Jul 2001 Bastia v Sedan D 0-0 French Championnat 1
04 Aug 2001 Guingamp v Bastia D 0-0 French Championnat 2
12 Aug 2001 Bastia v Olympique Lyonnais D 0-0 French Championnat 3
18 Aug 2001 Nantes v Bastia D 0-0 French Championnat 4
25 Aug 2001 Bastia v Olympique Marseille D 0-0 French Championnat 5
08 Sep 2001 Metz v Bastia D 0-0 French Championnat 6
22 Sep 2001 Lille v Bastia D 0-0 French Championnat 8
29 Sep 2001 Bastia v AS Monaco D 0-0 French Championnat 9
13 Oct 2001 FC Sochaux Montbeliard v Bastia D 0-0 French Championnat 10
20 Oct 2001 Bastia v Rennes D 0-0 French Championnat 11
27 Oct 2001 Paris St Germain v Bastia D 0-0 French Championnat 12
03 Nov 2001 Bastia v Lorient D 0-0 French Championnat 13
24 Nov 2001 Bastia v Bordeaux D 0-0 French Championnat 15
28 Nov 2001 RC Lens v Bastia D 0-0 French Championnat 16
08 Dec 2001 Bastia v Troyes D 0-0 French Championnat 17
19 Dec 2001 Bastia v Guingamp D 0-0 French Championnat 18
12 Jan 2002 Olympique Marseille v Bastia D 0-0 French Championnat 21
16 Feb 2002 Bastia v FC Sochaux Montbeliard D 0-0 French Championnat 26
23 Feb 2002 Rennes v Bastia D 0-0 French Championnat 27
16 Mar 2002 Lorient v Bastia D 0-0 French Championnat 29
23 Mar 2002 Bastia v Montpellier D 0-0 French Championnat 30
06 Apr 2002 Bordeaux v Bastia D 0-0 French Championnat 31
17 Apr 2002 Troyes v Bastia D 0-0 French Championnat 33
04 May 2002 Sedan v Bastia D 0-0 French Championnat 34
03 Aug 2002 Bastia v RC Lens D 0-0 French Championnat 1
10 Aug 2002 Nantes v Bastia D 0-0 French Championnat 2
17 Aug 2002 Bastia v AS Monaco D 0-0 French Championnat 3
24 Aug 2002 Olympique Lyonnais v Bastia D 0-0 French Championnat 4
31 Aug 2002 Bastia v Rennes D 0-0 French Championnat 5
11 Sep 2002 Auxerre v Bastia D 0-0 French Championnat 6
15 Sep 2002 Bastia v Ajaccio AC D 0-0 French Championnat 7
22 Sep 2002 Paris St Germain v Bastia D 0-0 French Championnat 8
09 Nov 2002 Troyes v Bastia D 0-0 French Championnat 14
16 Nov 2002 Bastia v Guingamp D 0-0 French Championnat 15
23 Nov 2002 Montpellier v Bastia D 0-0 French Championnat 16
30 Nov 2002 Bastia v Olympique Marseille D 0-0 French Championnat 17
04 Dec 2002 Bastia v Sedan D 0-0 French Championnat 18
15 Dec 2002 FC Sochaux Montbeliard v Bastia D 0-0 French Championnat 19
20 Dec 2002 Bastia v Nantes D 0-0 French Championnat 20
11 Jan 2003 AS Monaco v Bastia D 0-0 French Championnat 21
15 Jan 2003 Bastia v Olympique Lyonnais D 0-0 French Championnat 22
22 Jan 2003 Rennes v Bastia D 0-0 French Championnat 23
29 Jan 2003 Bastia v Auxerre D 0-0 French Championnat 24
01 Feb 2003 Ajaccio AC v Bastia D 0-0 French Championnat 25
05 Feb 2003 Bastia v Paris St Germain D 0-0 French Championnat 26
08 Feb 2003 Bordeaux v Bastia D 0-0 French Championnat 27
01 Mar 2003 Le Havre v Bastia D 0-0 French Championnat 29
08 Mar 2003 Bastia v Strasbourg D 0-0 French Championnat 30
22 Mar 2003 Lille v Bastia D 0-0 French Championnat 31
05 Apr 2003 Bastia v Troyes D 0-0 French Championnat 32
12 Apr 2003 Guingamp v Bastia D 0-0 French Championnat 33
10 May 2003 Sedan v Bastia D 0-0 French Championnat 36
20 May 2003 Bastia v FC Sochaux Montbeliard D 0-0 French Championnat 37


Please note: Match history is complete for the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.

International stats

Season Team Competition Apps Subs Goals Y R
2000-01 Ghana World Youth Cup 3
1
2000-01 Ghana World Youth Cup Under-20 1
1
2001-02 Ghana Africa Cup of Nations 2
1
2001-02 Ghana International Friendly 2
2001-02 Ghana World Youth Cup 3
2002-03 Ghana Four Nation Tournament, Tunisia 1
2003-04 Ghana FIFA World Cup 3
2004-05 Ghana FIFA World Cup 4
2
2
2005-06 Ghana FIFA World Cup 5
1
3
2005-06 Ghana International Friendly 4
1
2006-07 Ghana International Friendly 5
1
2007-08 Ghana Africa Cup of Nations 6
2
2007-08 Ghana FIFA World Cup 4
1
2007-08 Ghana International Friendly 6
2008-09 Ghana FIFA World Cup 4
2009-10 Ghana Africa Cup of Nations 1
2009-10 Ghana FIFA World Cup 3
1
2009-10 Ghana International Friendly 1
2010-11 Ghana Africa Cup of Nations 1
2013-14 Ghana FIFA World Cup 2
2
2013-14 Ghana International Friendly 2
1


Please note: Career stats are based on performances in the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.

International matches

Date Match Result Competition Round
18 Jun 2001 Ghana v Paraguay W 2-1 World Youth Cup Group F
21 Jun 2001 Iran v Ghana W 0-1 World Youth Cup Group F
24 Jun 2001 Ghana v France D 0-0 World Youth Cup Group F
28 Jun 2001 Ecuador v Ghana W 0-1 World Youth Cup Under-20 2nd round
01 Jul 2001 Ghana v Brazil D 1-1 World Youth Cup Quarter-final
04 Jul 2001 Egypt v Ghana W 0-2 World Youth Cup Semi-final
08 Jul 2001 Argentina v Ghana L 3-0 World Youth Cup Final
04 Jan 2002 Egypt v Ghana L 2-0 International Friendly
21 Jan 2002 Ghana v Morocco D 0-0 Africa Cup of Nations Finals Group B
24 Jan 2002 Ghana v South Africa D 0-0 Africa Cup of Nations Finals Group B
17 May 2002 Slovenia v Ghana L 2-0 International Friendly
30 Mar 2003 Ghana v Madagascar W 3-3 (10-9) FOUR NATION TOURNAMENT, TUNISIA
16 Nov 2003 Somalia v Ghana W 0-5 FIFA World Cup Africa qualifying round
05 Jun 2004 Burkina Faso v Ghana L 1-0 FIFA World Cup Africa group 2
20 Jun 2004 Ghana v South Africa W 3-0 FIFA World Cup Africa group 2
03 Jul 2004 Uganda v Ghana D 1-1 FIFA World Cup Africa group 2
05 Sep 2004 Ghana v Cape Verde Islands W 2-0 FIFA World Cup Africa group 2
08 Oct 2004 Ghana v Congo DR D 0-0 FIFA World Cup Africa group 2
18 Jun 2005 South Africa v Ghana W 0-2 FIFA World Cup Africa group 2
04 Sep 2005 Ghana v Uganda W 2-0 FIFA World Cup Africa group 2
08 Oct 2005 Cape Verde Islands v Ghana W 0-4 FIFA World Cup Africa group 2
01 Mar 2006 Mexico v Ghana L 1-0 International Friendly
26 May 2006 Turkey v Ghana D 1-1 International Friendly
29 May 2006 Jamaica v Ghana W 1-4 International Friendly
04 Jun 2006 Ghana v Korea Republic W 3-1 International Friendly
12 Jun 2006 Italy v Ghana L 2-0 FIFA World Cup Finals group E
17 Jun 2006 Czech Republic v Ghana W 0-2 FIFA World Cup Finals group E
22 Jun 2006 Ghana v USA W 2-1 FIFA World Cup Finals group E
15 Aug 2006 Togo v Ghana W 0-2 International Friendly
04 Oct 2006 Japan v Ghana W 0-1 International Friendly
08 Oct 2006 Korea Republic v Ghana W 1-3 International Friendly
14 Nov 2006 Australia v Ghana D 1-1 International Friendly
06 Feb 2007 Ghana v Nigeria W 4-1 International Friendly
21 Aug 2007 Ghana v Senegal D 1-1 International Friendly
08 Sep 2007 Ghana v Morocco W 2-0 International Friendly
11 Sep 2007 Saudi Arabia v Ghana L 5-0 International Friendly
18 Nov 2007 Ghana v Togo W 2-0 International Friendly
21 Nov 2007 Ghana v Benin W 4-2 International Friendly
20 Jan 2008 Ghana v Guinea W 2-1 Africa Cup of Nations Finals Group A
24 Jan 2008 Ghana v Namibia W 1-0 Africa Cup of Nations Finals Group A
28 Jan 2008 Ghana v Morocco W 2-0 Africa Cup of Nations Finals Group A
03 Feb 2008 Ghana v Nigeria W 2-1 Africa Cup of Nations Finals quarter-final
07 Feb 2008 Ghana v Cameroon L 0-1 Africa Cup of Nations Finals semi-final
09 Feb 2008 Ghana v Ivory Coast W 4-2 Africa Cup of Nations Finals 3rd place
01 Jun 2008 Ghana v Libya W 3-0 FIFA World Cup Africa 1st round group 5
08 Jun 2008 Lesotho v Ghana W 2-3 FIFA World Cup Africa 1st round group 5
14 Jun 2008 Gabon v Ghana L 2-0 FIFA World Cup Africa 1st round group 5
22 Jun 2008 Ghana v Gabon W 2-0 FIFA World Cup Africa 1st round group 5
05 Sep 2008 Libya v Ghana L 1-0 FIFA World Cup Africa 1st round group 5
29 Mar 2009 Ghana v Benin W 1-0 FIFA World Cup Africa 2nd round group D
07 Jun 2009 Mali v Ghana W 0-2 FIFA World Cup Africa 2nd round group D
20 Jun 2009 Sudan v Ghana W 0-2 FIFA World Cup Africa 2nd round group D
05 Aug 2009 Libya v Ghana L 1-0 International Friendly
06 Sep 2009 Ghana v Sudan W 2-0 FIFA World Cup Africa 2nd round group D
09 Sep 2009 Japan v Ghana L 4-3 International Friendly
11 Oct 2009 Benin v Ghana L 1-0 FIFA World Cup Africa 2nd round group D
15 Nov 2009 Ghana v Mali D 2-2 FIFA World Cup Africa 2nd round group D
15 Jan 2010 Ivory Coast v Ghana L 3-1 Africa Cup of Nations Group B
03 Jun 2011 Ghana v Congo W 3-1 Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying group I
06 Sep 2013 Ghana v Zambia W 2-1 FIFA World Cup Africa 2nd round group D
15 Oct 2013 Ghana v Egypt W 6-1 FIFA World Cup Africa 3rd round
19 Nov 2013 Egypt v Ghana L 2-1 FIFA World Cup Africa 3rd round
05 Mar 2014 Montenegro v Ghana L 1-0 International Friendly
31 May 2014 Netherlands v Ghana L 1-0 International Friendly
16 Jun 2014 Ghana v USA L 1-2 FIFA World Cup Finals group G


Please note: Match history is complete for the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.