Legendary Ghanaian footballer Abedi Ayew ‘Pele’ has revealed that he became a homeowner at the remarkable age of 17. The iconic player, who is the father of football stars Andre and Jordan Ayew, enjoyed a prolific career spanning over two decades.
Abedi’s journey began with Real Tamale United (RTU) in Ghana before his talent catapulted him to Qatari side Al Sadd. There, he spent a year before moving to FC Zurich. The 59-year-old would go on to play for prominent clubs such as Olympique Marseille, Lille, Lyon, Torino, 1860 Munich, and Al Ain.
In a recent interview with Bola Ray, Abedi shared insights into his early career earnings and how they led to his early foray into real estate. Following the 1982 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Libya, Abedi joined Al Sadd, earning around $10,000 as a teenager. He used a portion of this money to build his first house in Alajo, Accra, thus becoming a homeowner at 17.
“We went to Libya in 1982, and then we came back. So, I will say that at age 17 or 17-and-a-half, I turned professional, and my first professional country was Qatar, where I played for about two years and won every trophy,” Abedi recounted. “I earned $10,000 at the time, which was significant 20 to 22 years ago. RTU had a signing-on fee of $50,000 to $60,000, which was huge. I didn’t have a signing fee but earned salaries and bonuses.”
He continued, “When I came back to Ghana, I built a small house at Alajo near the railway line, so at the age of 17-18, I had built my first house.”
Abedi Pele remains a national treasure, celebrated for his contributions to Ghanaian football in the 1980s and 1990s. He was instrumental in Ghana’s AFCON victory in 1982 and was named African Footballer of the Year three times. His illustrious career also saw him lift the UEFA Champions League trophy with Olympique Marseille.