Watch as Danny Welbeck leads Brighton players to congratulate Simon Adingra for AFCON triumph

Ivory Coast winger, Simon Adingra

Danny Welbeck, an English player of Ghanaian descent, was among several Brighton and Hove Albion players who contributed to the club’s congratulatory message for winger Simon Adingra, who was instrumental in Ivory Coast’s conquest as African football champions.

Following Ivory Coast’s victory against Nigeria on Sunday, February 11, 2023, Brighton interviewed their players on whether they watched the game and their assessment of Adingra’s performance.

A substantial number of the players affirmed watching the game and were unsurprisingly thrilled by the performance of the 22-year-old Simon Adingra.

Danny Welbeck, who declared his backing for Ivory Coast ahead of the game, congratulated Adingra for winning the tournament with his country and producing a Man of the Match performance.

Welbeck, whose parents are Ghanaians and has often supported the Black Stars, said, “Brilliant. Two assists, amazing and congratulations.”

Other Brighton players like Evan Fergusson, Pascal Gross, and Lewis Dunk, among others, commended Adingra for the feat and urged him to return to the club in good shape as they seek to finish the 2023/2024 season strongly.

Adingra, a player with connections to Ghana through the Right To Dream Football Academy, produced one of the best performances in AFCON final history with his electrifying display against Nigeria.

The youngster was a thorn in the flesh of Nigerian fullback Ola Aina, who laboured in vain to stop the winger.

Adingra got his first assist of the night after Franck Kessie headed home his corner. His second assist was even more outstanding as he got the better of Aina for the umpteenth time in the game to whip in a sweet cross that was flicked home by Borussia Dortmund striker Sebastian Haller.

Adingra was awarded Player of the Match and Best Young Player of the Tournament for his efforts.