Post by Oni Ladonette Ondesa

33-year-old Benjamin Asare’s World Cup exploits are now commanding commercial attention in Ghana. The Hearts of Oak goalkeeper has reportedly been linked with five brands following his breakout performances against England: • Polytank • Vena Sports Water • Rexona • Raptor Gloves • Shatta Movement This is exactly the work we do at OniSport. Every athlete is commercially viable, regardless of where they play. Here’s why Asare’s story stands out. Before this World Cup, he had only made his Black Stars debut in March 2025. Before that, he was a Ghana Premier League goalkeeper who nearly quit football at 28 after a serious injury kept him out for more than a year. He returned, joined Hearts of Oak in 2024, kept 12 clean sheets in 18 games, won the SWAG Male Home-Based Footballer of the Year award, and even went viral after being spotted taking a public bus to training in Accra. Then came his opportunity. When first-choice goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi was injured against Panama, Asare stepped in, kept a clean sheet, and followed it with an outstanding performance against England. Soon after, the brand announcements started rolling in. It’s tempting to say one match changed everything. I don’t think it did. That match simply brought months of progress and stories into the spotlight. His performances earned attention, but the journey behind them gave people something to remember and brands something to associate with. That’s where I think Central Africa still has work to do. West Africa has built an ecosystem that quickly turns a player’s momentum into a commercial conversation. In many parts of Central Africa, that ecosystem is still developing. At the same time, sponsorship here often flows to leagues and federations rather than individual players. MTN sponsors Elite One. Orange sponsors the national team. Yet many brand managers would struggle to name ten players from the competitions they support. That’s not only a market issue. It’s also a visibility issue. We’ve seen domestic players earn AFCON and World Cup call-ups, return home, and quietly disappear from the conversation. Not because they didn’t perform. Because nothing was built around their journey. Their first national team camp, routines or even perspective. Those stories keep athletes relevant long after the final whistle. One thing every domestic player should understand is this: A local brand is often more likely to invest in you than a binational player. Not because you’re better, but because you’re present. You live where the consumers are. You move through the same communities. You represent a market brands are trying to reach every day. That proximity has value. But only if people know who you are beyond matchday. If your story begins and ends with the 90 minutes, you’ve left a lot of commercial value on the table. P.S : Had to pen this down before I continue South Africa vs Canada #Onisport #FIFAWorldCup2026

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