GPL top scorers in history – Complete list: Yeboah, Amoah and more

GPL top scorers in history – Complete list: Yeboah, Amoah and more
Credit @mygtvsports Twitter

Who are the GPL top scorers? From year to year, the name of the Golden Boot winner of the Ghana Premier League (GPL) changes.

Since 2001, no player has won the GPL top scorer award back-to-back. The name changes every season.

It shows how competitive the league is. The list of GPL top scorers contains several notable names, including George Alhassan, Anthony Yeboah, Charles Amoah, Ishmael Addo and Thomas Boakye.

As the new season is about to kick off, let us review the GPL top scorers list. It is alright for us to know what the players in the new season are up against.

When does the new GPL season kick off?

The Ghana Premier League 2023/24 season is about to kick off, with the draws for the new season set for the Eastern Premier Hotel on Tuesday, 29 August.

The event to decide the sequence of the league matches will take place at the Eastern Premier Hotel in Koforidua, Eastern Region.

The initial date for the draw was 25 August, but there was a date change.

The match day one fixtures will be played from Friday, September 15, 2023, to Monday, September 18, 2023.

The ball is already in motion to see whether Medeama will retain their title or if the fans will witness a new champion.

We also wait to see if Abednego Tetteh will retain his title as the top shot in the GPL or if the GPL top scorers list will have a new name.

GPL top scorers list – Why has no player retained his title since 2001?

There has been a recurring decimal since 2001. Ishmael Addo is the last man to win the top scorers award in the GPL in back-to-back seasons. The former Hearts of Oak striker won the award three seasons in a row.

Dan Owusu is the only other player in the GPL top scorers list to achieve the same feat. He won the award from 1974 – 1976. He scored 24, 26 and 28 goals respectively, more than Ishmael Addo’s 19, 21, and 22 goals from 1999 – 2001.

Dan Owusu also holds the record for most goals scored in a season – 28.

The other players who have won it multiple times include Anane Kobo (1983 and 84), Anthony Yeboah (86, 87) and Kofi Deblah (96, 97).

George Alhassan (1977, 1985), Muhammed Choo (1978, 1982) and Opoku Afriyie (1979, 1981) also won it twice but not back-to-back.

The other players since 2001 who have not managed to defend their titles have one common denominator. They always seem to be changing clubs the season after winning the Hotshot award.

Charles Diawisie Taylor left Karela United for club Future FC in 2022. Hans Kwofie joined Smouha FC in 2018 after entering the GPL top scorers list in 2017.

Others include 2016 winner Latif Blessing, who signed for Sporting Kansas City of Major League Soccer.

Owusu did not return to Berekum Chelsea's pre-season training after a successful season. He signed a four-year contract on 1 February 2016 with Egyptian club Aswan SC.

2014 winner Augustine Okrah joined BK HΓ€cken in 2014 and joined Sudanese side Al-Merrikh at the end of the season.

The others who left their clubs the season after winning the award are Mahatma Otoo to Norwegian side Sogndal, Emmanuel Baffour to Mamelodi Sundowns and Nana Poku to Israeli side Ashdod.

1973–2023 Ghana Premier League Top Scorers
Season Best scorers Team Goals
1973 Peter Lamptey Hearts of Oak 26
1974 Dan Owusu Bofoakwa Tano 24
1975 Dan Owusu Bofoakwa Tano 26
1976 Dan Owusu Bofoakwa Tano 28
1977 George Alhassan Great Olympics β€”
1978 Muhammed Choo Real Tamale United 22
1979 Opoku Afriyie Asante Kotoko β€”
1980 Emmanuel Quarshie Sekondi Hasaacas 18
1981 Opoku Afriyie Asante Kotoko 21
1982 Muhammed Choo Real Tamale United 15
1983 Anane Kobo Real Tamale United β€”
1984 Anane Kobo Real Tamale United β€”
1985 George Alhassan Great Olympics β€”
1986 Tony Yeboah Cornerstones β€”
1987 Tony Yeboah Cornerstones β€”
1988–89 Henry Acquah Hearts of Oak β€”
1989–90 Muhammed Tijani Cornerstones 15
1990–91 Thomas Boakye Asante Kotoko β€”
1991–92 Abdul Mumuni Dawu Youngstars β€”
1992–93 Augustine Ahinful Goldfields 12
1993–94 Oscar Laud Dawu Youngstars β€”
1994–95 Charles Amoah Okwawu United β€”
1995–96 Kofi Deblah Goldfields β€”
1996–97 Kofi Deblah Goldfields β€”
1997–98 Joe Fameyeh Hearts of Oak β€”
1999 Ishmael Addo Hearts of Oak 19
2000 Ishmael Addo Hearts of Oak 21
2001 Ishmael Addo Hearts of Oak 22
2002 Bernard Dong

Charles Asampong Taylor

Bortey

Hearts of Oak

18

 

2003 Shaibu Yakubu Goldfields Obuasi 13
2004–05 Samuel Yeboah Heart of Lions β€”
2005 Prince Tagoe Hearts of Oak 18
2006–07 Emmanuel Clottey Great Olympics 14
2007–08 Eric Bekoe Asante Kotoko 17
2008–09 Alex Asamoah Asante Kotoko 16
2009–10 Bismark Idan

Samuel Afum

Kessben

Hearts of Oak

13

 

2010–11 Nana Poku Berekum Arsenal 17
2011–12 Emmanuel Baffour New Edubiase United 21
2012–13 Mahatma Otoo Hearts of Oak 20
2013–14 Augustine Okrah Bechem 16
2015 Kofi Owusu Berekum Chelsea 19
2016 Latif Blessing Liberty Professionals 14
2017 Hans Kwofie Ashanti Gold 17
2020–21 Ghana Diawisie Taylor Karela United 18
2021–22 Yaw Annor Ashanti Gold 24
2022–23 Abednego Tetteh Bibiani Gold Stars FC 18

This article was most recently revised and updated 1 year ago

Chooka Izuegbuna is a Sports Journalist with 20 years of experience in print, TV and Radio. He has worked with some of the top media houses in Nigeria, including NTA Network, Channels TV, TVC, Silverbird TV and MITV. Chooka broke his sports reporting teeth with The Game Football Weekly in 2003 as a cartoonist and reporter. Chooka has a passion for football and has been a fan of Enugu Rangers (over 30 years) and Real Madrid (Since 1996).