The former African Footballer of the Year claims his successful career was prophesied even before his birth

Former Ghana midfielder and 1978 African Best Player, Abdul 'Golden Boy' Razak, has revealed that his parents were told by a soothsayer that their only son would be a great personality in the world.

The 60-year-old, who was recently named as official ambassador for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations to be staged in Gabon, played for Asante Kotoko and also led the club as a coach to win several titles.

"My parents had only girls before I was born but they told me about a prophecy that came from a man who visited them as a soothsayer. According to them, the man said they would have a son before they pass away and he would be a great person," Razak told Goal.

"So after my birth, I started doing tremendously well in everything I laid my hands on. Fortunately, my father remembered what he was told so he never stopped me from engaging in things which were regarded as harmful. And when I chose to play football with adults at a tender age, he gave his blessings although he was afraid," he said.

"I was so talented that I played only four Ghana Premier League games with Corners Babies FC and was handed my debut call-up to the Black Stars. I even scored on my international debut against Sierra Leone, thereafter I became an integral part of the team until I retired.

"My best moment with the Black Stars without doubt was in 1978, when Ghana won our third Afcon trophy. That tournament exposed me to several opportunities because I was adjudged the player and later the overall best player on the continent," he added.

Ghana has had only one African Player of the Year winner after Razak, in the person of Abedi Ayew 'Pele', who won the award between 1991 and 1993.

"It was not by chance that Abedi and I won the award in the past. If it was the case why hasn't the country produced any winner over the last two decades?

"Honestly, I believe the current crop of players must double their efforts at club level and replicate it with the national team. I won it after helping Ghana to win the Cup of Nations and was very good at club side. Ayew was superb with Olympique Marseille and every African during that time will attest to the fact that he deserved it even if he could not win the Afcon trophy during that time.

"Samuel Osei Kuffour, Michael Essien, Asamoah Gyan and Andre Ayew have come close to winning it but the young ones must learn a lot from their stories and not repeat their disappointments," he added.

Razak boasts of 75 caps with the Black Stars and netted 25 goals in the proces