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{{short description|Ghanaian footballer}}
{{For|the footballer who participated in the 1968 Olympics|George Alhassan (footballer born 1941)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}

{{Infobox football biography
| name = George Alhassan
| image = 
| caption = 
| fullname = George "Jair" Alhassan
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1955|11|11|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Kumasi]], Ghana
| death_date = 
| death_place = 
| height = 
| position = Forward
| youthyears1 = 
| youthclubs1 = 
| years1 = 1974–1982
| clubs1 = [[Great Olympics]]
| caps1 = 325
| goals1 = 78
| years2 = 1982–1984
| clubs2 = [[FC 105]]
| caps2 = –
| goals2 = –
| years3 = 1984
| clubs3 = [[Ulsan Hyundai FC|Hyundai Horangi]]
| caps3 = 11
| goals3 = 4
| years4 = 1985–1990
| clubs4 = [[Great Olympics]]
| caps4 = –
| goals4 = –
| years5 = 1990–1992
| clubs5 = Berchem Sport
| caps5 = –
| goals5 = –
| totalcaps = 
| totalgoals = 
| nationalyears1 = 1970–1990
| nationalteam1 = [[Ghana national football team|Ghana]]
| nationalcaps1 = 17
| nationalgoals1 = 7
| medaltemplates = 
}}

'''George Alhassan''', nicknamed '''Jair''', referring to [[Jairzinho]], is a retired [[Ghana]]ian [[association football|footballer]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-05-10|title=I'm the best Ghanaian footballer of all time - George Alhassan|url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/SportsArchive/I-m-the-best-Ghanaian-footballer-of-all-time-George-Alhassan-536527|access-date=2021-07-27|website=GhanaWeb|language=en}}</ref> He is best known for his exploits in the 1982 Africa Cup of Nations which saw him lift the trophy for the second time in his career.<ref>{{Cite web|title=I don't regret not playing for Hearts and Kotoko – George Alhassan|url=https://footballghana.com/i-dont-regret-not-playing-for-hearts-and-kotoko-george-alhassan|access-date=2021-07-27|website=Footballghana|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=No Current Black Stars Player Could Have Made 1982 & 1984 Bench With The Exception Of Partey - George Alhassan|url=https://www.modernghana.com/sports/1036023/no-current-black-stars-player-could-have-made-1982.html|access-date=2021-07-27|website=Modern Ghana|language=en}}</ref> During his career he played in Ghana, Gabon and Korea.

He was given the nickname Jair, due to a similar style of play to the Brazilian player [[Jairzinho]].

== Club career ==
Alhassan played for [[Accra Great Olympics F.C.|Accra Great Olympics]]<ref>{{Cite web|last=Mac-Tetteh|first=Jonas|date=18 May 2017|title=Gt. Olympics legend George Alhassan enstooled King of Football|url=https://www.modernghana.com/sports/776095/gt-olympics-legend-george-alhassan-enstooled-king.html|access-date=27 July 2021|website=Modern Ghana|language=en}}</ref> from 1974 to 1982 and later returned to play in 1985 to 1990. In the process he won the Ghana Premier League in his debut season in 1974.<ref name=":0"/> From 1982 to 1984, he played for [[FC 105 Libreville]] in Gabon, where he won two trophies, the [[Gabon Championnat National D1]] in 1983 and the [[Coupe du Gabon Interclubs]] in 1984.<ref name="Strack-Zimmermann">{{Cite web|last=Strack-Zimmermann|first=Benjamin|title=George 'Jair' Alhassan|url=http://www.national-football-teams.com/player/65376/George_Jair_Alhassan.html|access-date=2021-07-27|website=www.national-football-teams.com|language=en}}</ref>

==International career==
Alhassan made several appearances for the [[Ghana national football team]], including qualifying matches for several [[FIFA World Cup]]s. In 1978, he played for the Ghana squad who won the [[1978 African Cup of Nations|African Cup of Nations in home soil]].<ref>{{cite web|title=African Nations Cup 1978 |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tables/78a.html |access-date=2009-04-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100127105828/http://www.rsssf.com/tables/78a.html |archive-date=2010-01-27 |website=[[RSSSF]] |url-status=live }}</ref> [[1982 African Cup of Nations|Four years later]] he helped Ghana regain the title successfully, being the top scorer of the tournament with four goals, including two against [[Algeria national football team|Algeria]] in the semifinal and one in the final against hosts [[Libya national football team|Libya]].

==Personal life==

George is the father of [[Kalif Alhassan]], a professional football player in the United States with [[Tampa Bay Rowdies]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Dornu-Leiku|first=Prince|date=5 June 2012|title=Kalif Alhassan: 'I'm with Black Stars in spirit'|url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/SportsArchive/artikel.php?ID=240975|access-date=27 July 2021|website=GhanaWeb|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-09-08|title=Coach Edward Ansah's Churchill Brothers sign Ghanaian midfielder Kalif Alhassan|url=https://ghanasoccernet.com/coach-edward-ansahs-churchill-brothers-sign-ghanaian-midfielder-kalif-alhassan|access-date=2021-07-27|website=GhanaSoccernet|language=en}}</ref>

== After retirement ==
In October 2020, he was appointed as the Welfare Officer of his former club Accra Great Olympics.<ref name=":0" />

==Honours==

=== Club ===
'''Great Olympics'''

* [[Ghana Premier League]]: 1974<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Osman|first=Abdul Wadudu|date=12 October 2020|title=Great Olympics appoint George Alhassan as the new welfare officer of the club|url=https://footballmadeinghana.com/2020/10/12/great-olympics-appoint-george-alhassan-as-the-new-welfare-officer-of-the-club/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210116062108/https://footballmadeinghana.com/2020/10/12/great-olympics-appoint-george-alhassan-as-the-new-welfare-officer-of-the-club/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=16 January 2021|access-date=27 July 2021|website=Football Made In Ghana|language=en-US}}</ref>

'''FC 105 Libreville'''<ref name="Strack-Zimmermann"/>

* [[Gabon Championnat National D1]]: 1983
* [[Coupe du Gabon Interclubs]]: 1984

=== International ===
'''Ghana'''

* [[African Cup of Nations]]: [[1978 African Cup of Nations|1978]], [[1982 African Cup of Nations|1982]]<ref name=":0" />

=== Individual ===

* [[African Cup of Nations]] Golden boot: [[1982 African Cup of Nations|1982]]
*[[1982 Africa Cup of Nations|Africa Cup of Nations]] [[1982 Africa Cup of Nations#CAF Team of the Tournament|Team of the Tournament]]: [[1982 Africa Cup of Nations|1982]]
* [[OneTouch Premier League|Ghana Premier League]] Top scorer: 1977, 1985<ref>{{Cite web|title=Ghana - List of Topscorers|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesg/ghatops.html|access-date=2021-07-27|website=[[RSSSF]]}}</ref>
*

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{K League player}}
* [http://www.pulse.com.gh/sports/football/teams/black-stars/george-alhassan-i-couldn-t-play-in-korea-due-to-pork-meat-ex-ghana-top-scorer-id7093192.html I couldn't play in Korea due to pork meat- Ex-Ghana top scorer - George Alhassan Interview]
* [http://www.pulse.com.gh/sports/football/teams/black-stars/george-alhassan-i-am-the-greatest-ghanaian-player-of-all-time-id6655093.html I am the greatest Ghanaian player of all time - George Alhassan Interview]
{{Ghana squad 1978 African Cup of Nations}}
{{Ghana squad 1982 African Cup of Nations}}
{{Ghana squad 1984 African Cup of Nations}}
{{1982 Africa Cup of Nations Team of the Tournament}}
{{Africa Cup of Nations top scorers}}

{{Ghana Premier League top scorers}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Alhassan, George}}
[[Category:1955 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Africa Cup of Nations–winning players]]
[[Category:Ghanaian men's footballers]]
[[Category:Ghanaian expatriate men's footballers]]
[[Category:Ghana men's international footballers]]
[[Category:1978 African Cup of Nations players]]
[[Category:1982 African Cup of Nations players]]
[[Category:1984 African Cup of Nations players]]
[[Category:Ulsan HD FC players]]
[[Category:K. Berchem Sport players]]
[[Category:K League 1 players]]
[[Category:FC 105 Libreville players]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Gabon]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in South Korea]]
[[Category:Ghanaian expatriate sportspeople in Gabon]]
[[Category:Accra Great Olympics F.C. players]]
[[Category:Ghanaian expatriate sportspeople in South Korea]]
[[Category:Men's association football forwards]]
[[Category:Accra Great Olympics F.C. non-playing staff]]
[[Category:Ghana Premier League players]]
[[Category:Ghana Premier League top scorers]]
[[Category:20th-century Ghanaian sportsmen]]


{{Ghana-footy-bio-stub}}