How 1978 African best footballer Abdul Razak made and invested his money

Abdul Razak was one of the first few Ghanaian players who earned lucrative deals abroad.

Razak invested the monies he acquired during his career in apartment buildings and also bought some vehicles to start some transport business.

Former Black Stars coach James Kwasi Appiah in his autobiography singled out the 1978 Africa Footballer of the Year as one person whom he took inspiration from to also invest the money he earned from his playing days because the former set the pace.

The ‘Golden Boy’ as he is affectionately called joined New York Cosmos in 1979 from Asante Kotoko after inspiring Ghana to the 1978 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) triumph.

Abdul Razak after a season with Cosmos moved to the United Emirates where he played for Emirates Sports Club.

According to the former midfield enforcer, the offer from the United Arab Emirates was too enticing to reject, so he moved to the Gulf region.

“The money was good (at New York Cosmos), but it was wasn’t all that good, but the offer from the United Arab Emirates was far better,” Abdul Razak told Pulse.com.gh.

“I had already suffered here. I played without money. I played without anything. I played and I needed money at the same time.

“That was why I went to the Emirates and two years’ time I was okay”.

Abdul Razak had a spell with Arab Contractors in the Egyptian topflight league from 1983 to 1985, during which he won two Africa Cup Winners Cup with the side and the Egyptian league.

He earned some good money in Egypt, before he had another spell with the Porcupine Warriors from 1986 to 19990, winning the Ghanaian topflight league on two occasions.



After his illustrious football career Razak turned a coach, starting his adventure at Asfa Yenega in Burkina Faso.

The 1978 Africa Footballer of the Year also made some monies on the touchline, winning leagues in Mali with Stade Malian, Asante Kotoko (won their first title in 10 years in 2003)

Abdul Razak in an exclusive interview with Pulse Ghana said“I would have found things difficult now that Ghana is hard. I saw the need to invest the money I earned during my playing days in buildings. I have four apartments at Sepe Timpom in Kumasi,” he added.

He added that the biggest of all the apartments he put up is a four-story building and each floor has three-bedrooms.

Abdul Razak has called on the Government of Ghana to collaborate with him to turn his biggest apartment into a health facility to meet the needs of the people at Sawaba and Sepe Timpom.

“The facility is huge with enough compound for other projects. I am calling on the Government to support me to turn the apartment into a clinic to serve the health needs of the people in the locality. In this case it will be a win-win situation, because I will also get regular and reliable source of income while to will also help the community,” he added

Razak who drives a Mercedes Benz said he has tri-cycles that also fetch him some money.