No more tears for Kuffour

...ahead of Nations Cup

Sobbing inconsolably in the wake of Bayern Munich's last-gasp Champions League final defeat in 1999, for a time Sammy Kuffour was in danger of being best remembered as Ghana's answer to Paul Gascoigne.

Just as Gazza's tearful exit was one of the enduring images of the 1990 World Cup, so too was Kuffour's distraught demeanour at the end of the Nou Camp epic between Bayern and Manchester United three years ago.

But while Gascoigne's post-Italia '90 career was one of chronic under-achievement, Kuffour has come back stronger than ever since the trauma of defeat in Barcelona.

The 24-year-old centre-half has established himself as one of the finest in that position in world football, and was outstanding for Bayern last year when they exorcised the ghost of '99 by finally lifting the Champions League. A series of commanding performances in the knockout rounds against Manchester United and Real Madrid culminated in Kuffour again dominating defence in the Milan final against Valencia.

Small wonder that Kuffour's poise and consistency attracted interest from Bayern's European rivals, with Italian champions AS Roma reported to have tabled a 24-million-dollar bid for him last summer. So far Kuffour has resisted the urge to leave Bavaria and this season he has picked up where he left off last term, again proving to be a rock in Bayern's defence.

He capped a superb year in November by scoring the only goal as the Germans defeated Boca Juniors in the World Club Championship final in Tokyo, and now stands on the verge of being named Africa's Player of the Year. But although familiar with the highest peaks of glory that club football has to offer, Kuffour is a stranger to success in the international arena. Ghana's 'Black Stars' have regularly failed to punch their weight, and Kuffour could be forgiven for wondering if he is ever likely to savour the unique experience of playing in a World Cup.

Ghana failed dismally in 2002 World Cup qualifiers last year, which means Kuffour has set his sights on making an impression at the Nations Cup in Mali, where Ghana play Morocco, South Africa and Burkina Faso in the first phase. The Bayern star has refused to lead the 'Black Stars' in Mali after the summary dismissal of another Germany-based professional, midfielder Charles Akonnor, from the squad last year