Bennard Yao Kumordzi

Bennard Kumordzi

File:Bennard Kumordzi.jpg
Personal information
Full name	Bennard Yao Kumordzi
Date of birth	(1985-03-21) 21 March 1985
Place of birth	Accra, Greater Accra, Ghana
Height
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Genk
Number	8
Youth career
	Klagon Youth Academy
	Supreme FC
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2005	FC Norrköping	11	(17)
2005–2006	IFK Norrköping	9	(2)
2006–2007	Egaleo	21	(5)
2007–2012	Panionios	117	(16)
2012	Dijon FCO	16	(1)
2012–	KRC Genk	65	(6)
International career‡
2007–	Ghana	8	(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22:06, 23 May 2015 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:00, 15 November 2011 (UTC)

Bennard Yao Kumordzi (born 21 March 1985) is a Ghanaian professional footballer, who currently plays for KRC Genk in Belgium and the Ghana national team as a midfielder. He previously played for IFK Norrköping and more recently Panionios and Dijon FCO.

Club career

Kumordzi started his career playing street football at Klagon FC Youth before being snapped up by lower-league side Supreme FC, where he had stints in only two 3rd Division league matches in Ghana before leaving for Sweden to pursue a European career in 2005 in the city of Norrköping.Before Kumordzi training At Bordeux.He struggled early on to get a club, until he got a break with a Division 6 amateur club called FC Norrköping where he played as a midfielder though he left Ghana as a central defender. He made a big impression while playing in the division 6 amateur league and he became the leading goal scorer with 17 goals in 11 matches from the offensive midfield role.

During a cup match in July 2005 between FCN amateurs and IK Sleipner, a Second Division club, Kumordzi performed magnificently to win the match for his amateur club. Stefan Hellberg, the then-coach of Swedish Superettan side IFK Norrkoping, who was at the game, told journalists that he had just discovered a gem. He gave him a trial with his club and Kumordzi jumped four levels from the sixth Division amateurs to the Superettan (Swedish 2nd Div.). However, he never became a regular starter in the team. His stay there was ended after Kumordzi going on a strike on contractual disputes with his former club FC Norrköping.

Greece

During the strike he had gone to Greece to practice with Greek Super League side Egaleo FC. He signed a five-year contract with the Greek outfit.

“I struck my in the land of Greece in a premiership match against Skoda Xanthi and after that, many journalist told me that my goal would compete for best goal of the 2006/2007 Greek premiership season” Kumordzi said. He also received plaudits from the Greek media who says he is the true revelation of the season after another superb and game against Ergotelis FC.

On 18 January 2007, the Greek FA – Hellenic Football Federation Kumordzi the Most Valuable Player award of the 1st Half of the 2006–2007 Greek Super League, for his performances in the current season.

Among clubs scouting Kumordzi was German Bundesliga side Bayer 04 Leverkusen.

His excellent performances were the reason that he gained a transfer to a bigger team. He signed a contract with Panionios on 23 May 2007.

France and Dijon

Due to his excellent performances in Greek Super League, he signed, in January 2012 with Ligue 1 club Dijon FCO.

International career

In 2005, Swedish newspaper Folkbladet described and compared Kumordzi to Nigerian International Nwankwo Kanu. Today, Kumordzi thinks his quality on or off-the-ball and height gives him an advantage to be one of the best players of the Ghana national teams especially the Ghana Olympic Team.

“I wait to be called upon to wear the colors of the Ghana Under-23 or Senior national team jersey,” said Kumordzi. “There are still unlimited Ghanaian football talents spread across Europe who can become great national football assets that are not being tapped". "Playing in the World Cup for my country is my biggest dream. I will continue to work hard to make it into the Olympic Team and from there I can move onto the next stage. I dream of playing in one of the Top 20 teams in the World" added Kumordzi.

On 20 January 2007, Kumordzi was called up by Ghana's Olympic Team known as the Black Meteors for the 2008 Olympic Games Qualifier against Burkina Faso Olympic Team. He also played the two-legged tie of the 2007 All-African Games qualifying match against Nigeria U-23, which Ghana won.

On his 22nd Birthday, Kumordzi received his first senior call up for Ghana, as a direct injury replacement for Ghana captain Stephen Appiah for Ghana's FIFA International friendlies against Austria and Brazil on 24 & 27 March 2007. His international debut was against Brazil on 27 March 2007 at the Råsunda Stadium, Stockholm, Sweden when Ghana lost 0–1.

He scored his first goal for Ghana against Iran National Team at the Azadi Stadium in Tehran on Thursday 28 June 2007.

Kumordzi also told goal.com that he dreams of playing for Arsenal in the Premier League one day.“I have a secret admiration for Arsenal of England since I want to step into the shoes of former Arsenal superstar, Patrick Vieira,” the central midfielder told the Ghana FA's official newspaper, GFA News.

Honours

• 2006/2007 MVP – 1st Half of Greek Super League

Genk

• Belgian Cup (1): 2012–13

External links

• Official Website
• Bennard's 2006/07 Greek Season Stats
• Player Profile – Ghana’s Bennard Yaw Kumordzi