From Ajax Youth Star to Builder's Reality: John Quansah's Journey
John Quansah sits in his modest living room in Obuasi, Ghana, gazing at a glass display case mounted on the wall. Inside are three trophies from his youth football days at Ajax Amsterdam. For years, these mementos were hidden away, too painful to confront. Now, at 40, he views them with a mixture of gratitude and pride. "I'm an adult now," John says. "It's time to look at the past differently. When I look at the trophies now, I don't just feel pain. I am grateful too – for those beautiful years."
The Dream That Brought Him to Amsterdam
Twenty-five years ago, John's life changed forever when Ajax scouts discovered him playing for Ashanti Gold in Obuasi. Along with two other 15-year-old Ghanaian boys, he was invited to Amsterdam for trials as part of Ajax's global youth scouting initiative. "I could hardly sleep in the weeks leading up to it," John recalls. "I was counting the days."
His mother initially protested, urging him to focus on education in Ghana's challenging economic climate. But John had one singular goal: to become a professional footballer. He quit school and embarked on his first journey outside Obuasi, a seven-hour bus ride to Accra followed by a flight to Amsterdam.
In the Netherlands, John lived with a host family in Soest and trained daily at De Toekomst, Ajax's renowned youth complex. He quickly adapted to Dutch life, learning the language and impressing coaches as a fast right winger. During a youth tournament in Belgium, he was named best player despite Ajax finishing third. He played alongside future stars like Wesley Sneijder, Nigel de Jong, and Maarten Stekelenburg.
The Injury That Changed Everything
During a routine training session, John felt something tear in his right thigh. Medical scans showed nothing, but the pain persisted despite physiotherapy and rest. Ajax advised him to recover in Ghana and promised to monitor his progress. "I clung to that promise," John says. "I told myself: this is just a temporary setback."
But the pain never fully subsided. John attempted comebacks with several Ghanaian clubs, but his body kept breaking down. In his early twenties, he gave up football entirely. "It hurt so much," he admits, his eyes lowered. "I didn't understand. Why me? I wanted it so badly."
For weeks, he shut himself inside, refusing to answer when friends or family came to check on him. Eventually, he emerged and tried to rebuild his life, first with a failed food stall, then through construction work.
Life After Football: Struggle and Resilience
Today, John works six days a week as a builder, earning approximately £5 daily. His wife sells hairpieces and flip-flops by the roadside. Their 30-square-meter home in Obuasi's mining region features basic amenities, with a shared toilet and shower among neighboring families. Three construction helmets hang in their small kitchen – two white, one red prominently displayed in the middle.
Personal tragedies compounded John's professional disappointment. In 2019, his six-month-old son died suddenly from an undiagnosed illness. A second son died just four months later under similar circumstances. "The grief was almost unbearable," John says quietly.
For years, he avoided football entirely, changing channels whenever he saw former teammates on television. His Ajax jersey and trophies remained buried in a closet until two years ago, when he decided to confront his past.
Finding Pride in the Past
The glass display case in John's living room represents a significant psychological shift. "Until we moved here two years ago, I couldn't stand to look at it," he says of his Ajax jersey. "It hurt too much. But now, I'm beginning to feel proud."
He pulls out a thick stack of photos given to him by his Dutch host family. Each image sparks a memory: being a ball boy at the Amsterdam Arena, watching Cristian Chivu warm up, learning Dutch phrases. "Ik ben John en ik woon in Soest," he recites with a smile.
John reflects on what might have been. "There weren't many good right-wingers back then," he notes. "Daniël de Ridder sat on the bench behind me. After my injury, he started playing. He got the deal."
Despite his current circumstances, John harbors no bitterness toward Ajax. "I didn't have a contract with the club, so I wasn't their responsibility," he explains pragmatically. He does wonder if former teammates remember him and dreams of visiting the Netherlands again, though a previous visa attempt ended with someone disappearing with his money.
Seeking Purpose Beyond Football
John's mother passed away last year from a heart attack, adding to his series of losses. "Everything always goes wrong in my life," he reflects. "I don't know why. I just have bad luck, I think."
Yet he finds strength in faith, having regained trust in God after years of questioning. "I think God has a different life purpose in mind for me," John says. "He wanted me to play football as a hobby, not to earn money. What my purpose in life is, I still don't really know. It remains a struggle."
One Dutch word has stayed with him through the years: "bovenbeen," meaning thigh. He points to a photo of himself with ice on his right leg. The physical pain may have faded, but the emotional journey continues.
"The most important thing is that I'm still alive," John concludes. "Hopefully, I'll find my purpose in life one day." For now, he takes pride in what he achieved during those brief, beautiful years at Ajax – a dream that didn't come true, but an experience that shaped who he is today.
