Players Abroad of Monday, 21 April 2008

Source: www.ghanasoccernet.com

Eric Addo extends amazing record

Influential utility player Eric Addo has extended his astonishing record as the Ghanaian player with the highest number of league titles in the major leagues of Europe.

The midfielder grabbed his seventh league title in Europe on Sunday as his Dutch club PSV Eindhoven won their fourth title in a row their league match on Sunday.

Eindhoven were crowned champions although their 21st title came without the glamour of previous triumphs after a turbulent season.

They clinched their fourth successive title with a 1-0 win at Vitesse Arnhem after a campaign with three coaches in which they were only convincing in the first six weeks of this year.

Serbian Danko Lazovic struck two minutes after the break to leave PSV top with 72 points, three above Ajax Amsterdam.

The title win cemented Addo's place in the Ghanaian football history books the player to have won the highest number of titles in the major leagues in Europe.

Addo won the league title with Belgian side Club Brugge as a teenager before moving to Holland to join PSV in 1999.

He has now won six league titles with PSV, a record he is certainly proud of.

"I have overly excited to have extended this record especially when you come from a country like Ghana with many talented players," Addo told Ghanasoccernet

"Ghana has produced great players in Europe like Abedi Pele, Anthony Yeboah, Sammy Kuffuor, Stephen Appiah and Michael Essien.

"To say I have won more titles than these great players is a special achievement because these players are very special.

"Playing in Europe is hard and to achieve this record means that my team-mates and I have put in a lot of work.

"To be rated among the best Ghanaian players ever to have played in Europe is a boost for me and I know I can do more at PSV."

Addo was voted the Young Belgian Footballer of the Year by Belgian journalists in the 1997/98 season.

He also won the Belgian Ebony Shoe Award for being the best African player (or player with African roots) in the Belgian league.

The jury was composed of the league clubs' coaches, the Belgian national team coach, sports journalists and an honorary jury.