1. Christian Atsu Twasam was a Ghanaian professional footballer who primarily played as a winger, although he was deployed as an attacking midfielder or left back.
23 Facts About Christian Atsu
1. 2.
Christian Atsu helped the team finish as runners-up at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, in which he won Player of the Tournament and Goal of the Tournament.
3.
Christian Atsu was one of ten siblings, including his twin sister, while his father was a fisherman and farmer on the banks of the Volta River.
4.
Christian Atsu spent a portion of his education at the Feyenoord Football Academy in Gomoa Fetteh, in the Central Region of Ghana and later attended the West African Football Academy at Sogakope, in the Volta Region of Ghana.
5.
Christian Atsu later moved to join Cheetah, a club based in Kasoa.
6.
On 6 October 2013, Christian Atsu made his debut against Feyenoord as a substitute, replacing Kazaishvili in the 77th minute.
7.
In total, Christian Atsu played 30 games and scored 5 goals for the Dutch side as they finished 6th in the league and qualified to the playoffs.
8.
On 29 May 2015, Christian Atsu was loaned to newly promoted Premier League team Bournemouth for the upcoming season, with club Chief Executive Neill Blake calling the deal "a huge coup".
9.
On 24 January 2016, Christian Atsu gave an interview with the BBC World Service in which he spoke about leaving Chelsea and his imminent transfer to Levante.
10.
On 31 August 2016, Christian Atsu joined Newcastle United on a one-year loan deal with an option to buy clause in the contract.
11.
On 6 September 2022, Christian Atsu signed for Super Lig club Hatayspor on an initial one-year contract with the option for a further year.
12.
Christian Atsu won his first senior cap for the Ghana national team on 1 June 2012 against Lesotho, scoring in the process.
13.
Christian Atsu was described by the BBC as an "excellent prospect", whilst ESPN added he was "quick and technically impressive", and a potential future star for his national team.
14.
Christian Atsu featured in the rest of Ghana's matches as they came fourth, scoring in their penalty shootout elimination by Burkina Faso.
15.
Christian Atsu was selected for the 2014 FIFA World Cup squad, starting in all the matches as Ghana were eliminated in the group stage.
16.
Christian Atsu helped the team to the final, where they lost in a penalty shootout against the Ivory Coast.
17.
Christian Atsu was named in the Team of the Tournament for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon, where Ghana came fourth.
18.
Christian Atsu was called up for the 2019 edition in Egypt.
19.
Atsu was a devout Christian who shared Bible verses on social media.
20.
Christian Atsu used to attend Hillsong Church Newcastle during his time as a Premier League player.
21.
Christian Atsu was married to author Marie-Claire Rupio, with whom he had two sons and a daughter.
22.
We are deeply saddened by the news Christian Atsu lost his life in the devastation of the earthquakes that have hit Turkey and Syria.
23.
On 17 March 2023, Christian Atsu was accorded a state-assisted funeral at the Forecourt of the State House in Accra before being buried in his hometown, Dogobome in Ada Foah.