Entertainment
Former Liverpool Midfielder reveals why he changed Ghanaian name
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – MAY 07: Georginio Wijnaldum of Liverpool celebrates after scoring his team’s third goal during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final second leg match between Liverpool and Barcelona at Anfield on May 07, 2019 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Dutch footballer, Georginio Wijnaldum known at Anfield as Gini Wijnaldum, had quite the Liverpool career any star who was brought in, from a team that was relegated, could dream of.
It goes without saying that Gini had cemented his place in Liverpool’s history as a Legend for his vital contributions in Liverpool’s success from the time he signed to after he left.
He was responsible for the goal that eventually sealed Liverpool’s place in the Champions League; the first time in Klopp’s Anfield era, he scored goals in various points to engineer Liverpool’s move into the Champions League Final at Kyiv, then comes that famous night at Anfield against Barcelona.
Who would have thought it?
Gini proved his mark on that night when Klopp sought an answer, as he came off the bench to stamp in 2 quick fire goals to seal the deficit Barcelona had on Liverpool before the Origi moment. For that moment alone, Georginio Wijnaldum is and will forever be considered a Liverpool hero.
But as with all things, there eventually comes an end to every story, and the Holland international had his Anfield story reach a humble conclusion, having helped the club into a 3rd place finish the prior season before seeing a move to Paris Saint Germain.
But before all these, Georginio Wijnaldum went by a different name, or perhaps a different surname that rather embraced his African routes, particularly those of Ghanaian heritage. Why then change?
“I want to put on record that I am now Georginio Wijnaldum, not Georginio Boateng, in fact I have been known as George Wijnaldum for four years now,” the Dutchman had said in a 2013 interview.
“Boateng was the name of my former stepfather who is related to retired Dutch footballer of Ghanaian-origin George Boateng.
“My stepfather gave his surname to me but after he divorced my mother I got the Boateng off my name and took my mother’s name Wijnaldum as my surname. My mother and my original father are Surinamese so people should get it clear.” The Midfielder clarified.
