CAF first vice-president and Ghana FA president Kwesi Nyantakyi has been ranked as 46th most influential football personality on the world.
Football is big business a global sport with multiple leagues and teams and international competitions all vying for your attention (and money).
But who wields the most influence in the game, those men and women who have some combination of money, authority and power to shape the sport?
ESPN FC has ranked the top 50 movers and shakers in the game,the top ten include,FIFA president Gianni Infantino ,Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Aleksander Ceferin,Richard Scudamore,Jorge Mendes,Florentino Perez ,Lionel Messi, Mino Raiola,Pep Guardiola and Cristiano Ronaldo.
In Africa,Nyantakyi places as the third most influential person in football behind CAF president Ahmad Ahmad and FIFA general secretary Fatima Samoura according to ESPN FC’s 2017 countdown.
The FIFA executive committee member has contributed immensely to Ghana football for the past 12 years. Ghana has qualified to three successive World Cup,won the u-20 world cup tournament in 2009 and also successive world cup qualification for the u-17 and under 20 female teams has all happen under his tenure as GFA Capo.
His outstanding contribution to Africa and world football has caught the eye of many making him one on the most renowned football administrator on the Globally .
The WA ALL Stars owner, has made progress in developing the country’s football .But given his stated desire to step down from that position in two years’ time, the clock is ticking as he looks to cement his legacy.
Top 10 influencers in specific part of the world ,with the help of experts based in each region,notably outside the top 50 :
Africa
1. Ahmad Ahmad (African football confederation president)
2. Patrice Motsepe (Mamelodi Sundowns owner)
3. Fran Hilton-Smith (South Africa Football Association assistant technical director)
4. Moise Katumbi (TP Mazembe owner)
5. Amaju Pinnick (Nigeria Football Federation president, CAF Executive Committee member)
6. Philip Chiyangwa (Council of Southern Africa Football Associations president)
7. Isha Johansen (Sierra Leone FA president, CAF Executive Committee member)
8. Mortada Mansour (Zamalek president)
9. James Kwesi Appiah (Ghana manager)
10. John Shittu (agent)
