After reportedly reuniting with his African father after a 24-year separation, FC Barcelona star has continued to embrace his Ghanaian roots, which was marked by a visit to the president of the country Nana Akufo-Addo. Here's a look.
The story
Depay is currently subject to a lot of speculation, as various reports are suggesting that he is set to leave Barca after one-and-a-half-seasons at the club. Although he hasn't found joy at club football, off the field and for the Netherlands national, it has been smooth sailing for the 28-year-old.
He was part of the Holland side who were eliminated in the quarter-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup and played every match for his country. At the turn of the new year, he visited Ghana, where his father Dennis Depay was born. According to Ghanaweb, the player and his father have spent almost a quarter of century without seeing each other.
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The forward's dad is said to have denied his son's claims that he last saw him in 1998, stating that he continued to spend time with the former Manchester United player even after his marriage with Depay's month Cora Schensema was over in the 24 years ago. It is believed that the father and son only made peace in December and the attacker has since visited the West African nation again this January.
The ex-PSV Eindhoven talent previously met president Akufo-Addo in July 2022 and he brought the leader his Barca jersey as a gift. “Grateful to meet the President of a country that I love so much,” Depay wrote on his Twitter, a post which was accompanied by a picture of him presenting the jersey to Akufo-Addo.
“Coming back home feels always amazing and Ghana is the future y’all stay tuned.”
“Oh and you know I had to bring a jersey of the best club in the world for the mister President.”
This time he was also in the company of Freedom Jacob Caesar, a renowned businessman and philanthropist in Ghana who was named Ghana's CEO of the Decade in 2021.
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Do you think more international players with African lineage should embrace their roots?
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