An Interview With With Perpetual Agyekum

Perpetual Agyekum is a Ghanaian footballer who plays as a left fullback and left winger for TP Mazembe, a Congolese women's football club that competes in the Congolese Women's Championship. She is also a member of the Ghana women's national team, the Black Queens.

Agyekum was born on February 21, 1994 in Ghana. She started her football career at Hasaacas Ladies, a Ghanaian women's football club based in Sekondi-Takoradi. She helped the club win several domestic titles and became the captain of the team. She also represented Ghana at various youth levels, including the U-17 and U-20 teams.

In 2022, Agyekum joined Avaldsnes IL, a Norwegian women's football club, along with her teammate Evelyn Badu. However, she did not stay long in Norway, as she moved to TP Mazembe in January 2023. She was part of the historic squad that won the first ever CAF Women's Champions League in 2023, beating Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa in the final.

Agyekum is known for her speed, dribbling, crossing, and defensive skills. She is also a versatile player who can play in different positions on the left flank. She has been nominated for the CAF Women's Player of the Year award for 2022, along with Badu and Doris Boaduwaa, another Ghanaian player who plays for Hasaacas Ladies.

Agyekum is one of the most talented and promising players in African women's football. She has overcome many challenges and stereotypes to pursue her passion and achieve her dreams. She is an inspiration to many young girls who aspire to play football and make their mark in the world.

Here is the interview we had with her. 

1. How did you start your football career and what inspired you to pursue it?

The truth is, I was a child when I started playing football with guys( male playmates) because the talent was there and through playing with them, the interest also built up, I also saw it as a gift from God, so I did not see anyone during my childhood time who played to inspire me but as when I grew up then I said I have to play like Sulley Muntari from Ghana, Ronaldinho Gaucho and Lionel Messi. 

2. What are some of the challenges and opportunities that you faced as a female footballer in Ghana and Africa?

Playing football in Ghana is very tough and difficult when you do not have your resources before playing, resources like human resources and material resources. 

* I needed people to understand the talent I have as a female football player but most of them were not in support of me playing as a kid, even my parents but later they all supported me and showed love to me from my junior high school level till now. 

** I was also not having a ball boot and money to transport myself everyday to the training center to do my training, at that time I was also playing with my bare foot for years before getting ball boot to wear and even that, I was finding it difficult to wear because I was used to putting my bare foot on the ground to play .

With the opportunities there is a lot. I have been traveling around the globe, moving from country to country. Playing for my national team, gaining scholarship at Takoradi Technical Institute for my senior high school education, traveling to Switzerland, Slovenian , Norway, Egypt, Croatia, Nigeria and some part of Africa to play with the people there, is a life opportunity and experience. 

Q3. How did you join Hasaacas Ladies, the Ghanaian club that won the domestic league and finished second in the CAF Women's Champions League?

I started Hasaacas Ladies when I was at Junior high school, I was playing for my school then, and coach Yussif saw my play and took me to Hasaacas Ladies and from then, my career as a football started. 

4. How did you feel when you were nominated for the CAF Women's Player of the Year award, along with your teammates Evelyn Badu and Doris Boaduwaa?

I was excited when my name was mentioned among the nominees and seeing my teammates in the same category was another feeling all together because all over Africa has seen what we are doing and it was indeed a great feeling.

5.How did you move to TP Mazembe, the Congolese club that is one of the most successful and popular clubs in Africa?

 I got the contract through my Agent and it was based on my performance throughout the CAF Women's league and others that got me the contract from TP Mazembe.

6. How do you adapt to the different culture, language, and environment in Congo?

It was very difficult in terms of language because most people do not speak English and it makes communication become very difficult sometimes but with the environment setting is like Ghana, so I'm cool with the environment and I'm getting used to the way of life there.

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7.What are your goals and ambitions as a football player and as a person?

 My goals and ambitions;

* my goal is to play like Martha from Brazil.

* to coach young ladies or children who want to play football like me.

8. Who are some of the players or coaches that you look up to or learn from?

Sulley Muntary from Ghana, Ronaldinho Gaucho from Brazil. Marta Vieria De Silva from Brazil and Alex Morgan from America. 

9. How do you cope with the pressure and expectations that come with playing for a big club like TP Mazembe?

There are No pressure here at TP Mezembe and everything is moving fine here, my team is not putting pressure on me at all because they know what I can do and what I'm doing now for the team and I hope to do my best to move the club forward as expected. 

10. What are some of the skills or qualities that you have developed or improved as a fullback and a left winger?

As a fullback player, I have developed my speed as fast as before, I have also developed much confidence in dribbling and also attacking, whether to go on low pressure or high pressure as a fullback and left winger. I know how to do proper crossing that can lead to a straight goal and a correct scorer. 

11. How do you prepare for a match, physically and mentally?

I pray to God for a victory of my matches whenever there is a match, I also put in mind I'm going for a better result at end of the match and lastly I pray for protection from injuries.

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