For many, football is a passion discovered in the school yard or through weekend matches on dusty pitches. But for Ghana Football Association (GFA) President, Kurt Okraku, it was something deeper ; something woven into his identity from birth.
“I was born into football, to be honest,” he said, reflecting on his journey into the sport. “My grandfather played a pivotal role in all of this.”
His love for the game wasn’t a coincidence ; it was inherited. Coming from a family steeped in football culture, it was almost inevitable that he would grow to love and live the sport.
But it wasn’t just legacy that shaped him. His father, recognizing the spark early on, took deliberate steps to fan the flame.
“As a young boy, my dad obviously wanted me to be [in football],” Okraku recalled. “Through formal education, [he] brought me to the Accra Sports Stadium ; to the then National Sports Authority boss to introduce me to him.”
It was a key moment. A meeting meant to open doors, lay foundations, and hand the baton from one generation to the next.
“So that was the beginning,” he said, with a quiet nod to where it all started.
Now at the helm of Ghanaian football, the GFA President’s story is a reminder that the roots of leadership often run deep ; grounded in family, shaped by opportunity, and driven by an unshakable love for the beautiful game.
