Sulley Ali Muntari

Sulleyman Ali Muntari (born August 27, 1984 in Konongo, Ghana) is a Ghana Association football who plays for Serie A club F.C. Internazionale Milano in Italy. Sulley Ali Muntari is a central midfielder, but can also play as left midfielder.

Professional career

Early career

Muntari's abilities first came to light in youth tournaments, while Sulley Ali Muntari was playing for Liberty Professionals in Accra. Sulley Ali Muntari became a regular member of Ghana's U-20 team at the age of 16 as they finished runners-up at the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship in Argentina, losing out to the hosts in the final.. Despite impressing during a trial with Manchester United after the Tournament Sulley Ali Muntari was soon packing Sulley Ali Muntari bags for Udinese.

Udinese

Sulley Ali Muntari joined Udinese Calcio in 2001 where Sulley Ali Muntari first season was spent in the reserves, but Sulley Ali Muntari made Sulley Ali Muntari debut on 6 November 2002, against A.C. Milan. The Rossoneri proved too strong on the day, yet Udinese's young newcomer left an instant impression. "Muntari was immense against Milan," enthused monthly magazine Football Italia, "showing himself to possess the touch of Kaká and the combativeness of Edgar Davids, Sulley Ali Muntari is definitely a player to keep a close eye on."

In Sulley Ali Muntari second full season, Sulley Ali Muntari made 23 appearances, and increased Sulley Ali Muntari standing to 33 appearances the following season, although indiscipline saw Sulley Ali Muntari sent off three times in 16 matches in the 2006–07 season . Sulley Ali Muntari left Udinese for Portsmouth after 5 seasons.

Portsmouth

Muntari had already indicated a desire to move to the Premier League, when in early 2007 transfer bids were received from Portsmouth F.C., AC Milan , Juventus F.C.
, AS Roma and F.C. Internazionale Milano.
Sulley Ali Muntari eventually opted for Portsmouth and transferred on 30 May 2007, for a new club record fee, believed to be around £7.1m, signing a five-year contract.
Sulley Ali Muntari was a regular member of the first XI throughout the 2007–08 season playing 29 League matches and scoring 4 goals. Sulley Ali Muntari had Sulley Ali Muntari debut on 11 August 2007 against Derby County in an away game. Sulley Ali Muntari performance of note was away at Aston Villa where Sulley Ali Muntari scored two spectacular long-range goals. Sulley Ali Muntari also played 4 FA Cup matches scoring the winner from the spot in a 1-0 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford in the sixth round of the FA Cup 2007-08. Sulley Ali Muntari was in the first XI that won the 2008 FA Cup Final at the Wembley Stadium. Sulley Ali Muntari left Fratton Park after 1 season to join Internazionale.

Inter

On 2 March 2007, it was reported in the Italian press that F.C. Internazionale Milano were preparing a summer offer for the midfielder. Injuries to Esteban Cambiasso and Patrick Vieira underlined just how short of ball-winning midfielders the "Nerazzurri" were and they would remedy that problem in June 2007. Transfer consultants Marco Branca and Gabriele Oriali were looking around Europe for possible options and Muntari seemed to be their man at the insistence of then Coach Roberto Mancini, although Muntari ultimately went to Portsmouth in the summer of 2007.
But on 21 July, 2008 Italian newspaper La Repubblica reported that with the probable failure of new Inter Coach José Mourinho to land Sulley Ali Muntari former Chelsea FC protégé Frank Lampard, Muntari was now Sulley Ali Muntari first choice central midfielder. The reports gathered pace in the Italian Press in the next few days that Muntari had already agreed a 4-year contract with Inter. But Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp told Sky Sports News "I don't want to sell him. Sulley Ali Muntari is one of my best players and is a terrific young talent" when quizzed about Inter's supposed interest in Muntari.

On 24 July 2008, BBC and Gazzetta dello Sport reported that Muntari will complete a €16 million plus bonuses move to Inter. Sulley Ali Muntari finally completed Sulley Ali Muntari move to Inter on 28 July 2008 and will wear the number 20 jersey, previously worn by Álvaro Recoba for many years.

On November 22, 2008, Muntari scored the winner following a wrong shot on goal from Zlatan Ibrahimović in the Derby d'Italia against rivals Juventus. Two weeks later, Muntari scored a backheel goal against SSC Napoli at the San Siro after a great cross from Maicon, a match that ended 2-1 for Inter. In the very last Serie A match of the season on 31 May 2009 versus Atalanta B.C., Sulley Ali Muntari opened the scoring for Inter after blasting in a Luís Figo cross from outside the penalty box. Later, Sulley Ali Muntari shot on goal was parried by the goalkeeper but Esteban Cambiasso scored from the rebound to make the score 3-3. Inter eventually won 4-3 and Muntari won Sulley Ali Muntari first Scudetto after Sulley Ali Muntari first season with the club.

National team

Muntari had Sulley Ali Muntari first taste of an international fixture in the youth squad and was chosen for the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship as Ghana took second place. Sulley Ali Muntari won Sulley Ali Muntari first senior cap against Slovenia national football team on 17 May 2002, and became a regular fixture in the team as Ghana national football team opened their 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign.
Sulley Ali Muntari was selected for the Olympic side at Athens 2004, but was sent home for disciplinary reasons. This started a dispute between Muntari and Sulley Ali Muntari federation, and Sulley Ali Muntari said that Sulley Ali Muntari would refuse to play for Sulley Ali Muntari country again, beating the record for the youngest international retirement. Sulley Ali Muntari retracted, making a public apology to the federation, and was selected for the 2006 World Cup squad. Sulley Ali Muntari played in the first two matches, a 2-0 defeat by Italy national football team and a 2-0 win over Czech Republic national football team, in which Sulley Ali Muntari scored, but having received a yellow cards in each game, Sulley Ali Muntari was 2006 FIFA World Cup disciplinary record for the game against the United States men's national soccer team, but returned for the second round match against Brazil national football team, in which Ghana was eliminated.

Sulley Ali Muntari remained a regular member of the team, and appeared in the 2008 African Cup of Nations side, scoring the winner in the first group match against Guinea national football team and the second goal in the last group match against Morocco national football team. Sulley Ali Muntari scored Sulley Ali Muntari 3rd goal of the tournament when Sulley Ali Muntari scored a freekick against Côte d'Ivoire national football team in the 3rd place play off. Sulley Ali Muntari goal against Guinea, a 25m left-footed pile-driver in the 89th minute was voted one of the

Sulley Ali Muntari was voted as an All-Star Player during the 2008 African Cup of Nations Tournament in Ghana. The Team of the Tournament was decided by the Technical Study Group (TSG) after careful observations of all the tournament's matches.

Honours

Club
Portsmouth F.C.
- FA Cup Winner: FA Cup Final 2008

F.C. Internazionale Milano
- Supercoppa Italiana Winner: 2008 Supercoppa Italiana
- Serie A Winner: Serie A 2008-09

National team
- FIFA World Youth Championship Runner-up: 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship
- African Cup of Nations 3rd Place: 2008 African Cup of Nations