Opoku Afriyie

Opoku Afriyie (2 February 1955 – 29 March 2020) was a Ghanaian footballer. He was popularly called Bayie. He played as a striker and won many caps with Asante Kotoko and the Ghana national football team. He worked for Asante Kotoko as Team-Manager.

Club career Opoku Afriyie played for Asante Kotoko for several years before signing for Hearts of Oak prior to ending his footballing career. He was the top scorer in the Ghana domestic football league in 1979 and again in 1981. In 1982, he was nominated for the French magazine France Football African Footballer of the Year. He came eighth. Opoku Afriyie is among 20 other Ghanaians nominated by CAF out of a total of 200 African footballers for the title of the best African player of the last 50 years.

International career He was a member of the squad that won the 1978 African Cup of Nations making Ghana the first team to win it thrice. He scored the two goals in the final of that tournament. He also played in the 1980 African Cup of Nations where Ghana failed to defend its title.

Coaching career Opoku Afriyie was appointed team manager of Asante Kotoko in 2003. Ghana Premier League: 1980, 1981 Ghanaian FA Cup: 1978

International Ghana African Cup of Nations: 1978, 1982

Individual Africa Cup of Nations top scorer: 1978 Ghana Premier League Top scorer: 1979, 1981