Kwadwo Duah: My parents left Ghana for a better life, says Switzerland striker

Swiss footballer of Ghanaian descent Kwadwo Duah has said that his parents left Ghana because they were looking for a better life.

Duah is of triple citizenship, having been born in England and grown up in Switzerland while having Ghanaian parents.

The Ludogorets Razgrad striker, therefore, opted to represent Switzerland at international level over the other nations.

The 27-year-old made his international debut in a friendly against Estonia in June, before being included in Switzerland’s squad for the 2024 European Championship.

Duah went ahead to score the Red Crosses’ first goal of the tournament as they recorded a 3-1 victory over Hungary in their opening group match, but did not feature in their quarter-final defeat to England last Saturday.

Kwadwo Duah says his family left Ghana for a better life

Opening up on his background, Duah said his parents used to live in Ghana but had to leave for England for a better life.

“It was a big moment for my family and me. To score the first goal for Switzerland in a European Championship, I don’t think everyone does that, and we were all very happy,” he told the BBC.

"I was born in London but we don’t have family there anymore. My mum and dad were in Ghana but they had an opportunity to go to England because it offered a better life."

Playing at Euro 2024 means Duah is no longer eligible to play for Ghana despite his parents coming from the West African country.

Duah scored 15 goals and provided six assists in all competitions last season for Ludogorets and is a teammate of Ghana forward Bernard Tekpetey.