Christian Annan


Christian Kwesi Annan is a Ghanaian-born Hong Kong professional footballer who currently plays as a striker for Hong Kong Premier League club Rangers.
He is renowned in Hong Kong for his high pace and dribbling skill.

Biography

Eastern

Christian Annan arrived in Hong Kong to continue his football career in 2005. Unfortunately, he arrived at a time when most clubs in the First Division had already finished their foreign player signings, and so he joined Eastern, a Second Division club instead.
With 14 goals in 11 matches, including a hat trick against Tai Po, Annan successfully gained the attention of his then opponent. When Tai Po had successfully obtained their promotion status after the 2005–06 season, they signed Annan immediately.

Tai Po

Although he did not have the same impact in front of goal when compared to his time in the Second Division, Annan bagged 6 goals in 21 matches and became Tai Po's top scorer, helping the team to successfully avoid relegation. His performances were also thrown into the limelight with his selection into the Hong Kong League XI for the Lunar New Year Cup 2007. With only a brief appearance in the first match against Jamaica, Annan started the next match against Australia U-23, was fouled in the box, gaining a penalty for his team which ultimately tied the match in injury time.
His contribution on Tai Po has been further rewarded: he was selected into the 2006–07 Squad of the Year in the Hong Kong Footballer Awards.
In season 2007–2008, Annan kept performing and being selected into the first squad of Hong Kong League XI for the Lunar New Year Cup 2008. He only dropped out of the final selection due to the overload of attacking players. He scored 7 goals in the season, being named the second top league scorer of the team along with striking partner Betine, behind Dega.
In the 2011–12 season, on 18 September 2011, Annan appeared as a second-half substitute and scored twice against Kitchee, but Tai Po still lost the game, 4–2.

Kitchee

On 9 June 2013, Annan joined Kitchee on a free transfer along with his former Tai Po strike partner Alex. On 3 September 2013, Annan made his debut for Kitchee in a 6–2 victory against Sun Hei. On 19 October 2013, Annan scored his first goal for Kitchee by netting the winner in a 1–0 victory against Yokohama FC Hong Kong.
On 12 July 2017, Annan was recalled from loan he spent the 2016-17 at HK Pegasus.

Hong Kong League XI

On 18 July 2010, Annan was selected into Hong Kong League Selection against Birmingham City in the Hong Kong Stadium. He scored a goal in the match and was the MVP of the match. After the match, it was rumoured that the manager of Birmingham City Alex McLeish was interested in signing Annan.

Hoi King

On 20 August 2018, Annan was sent on loan to fellow HKPL side Hoi King.

Rangers

On 28 August 2019, Annan joined Rangers.
He played 17 matches for Rangers during the 19-20 season including league and cup games, before the HKPL was suspended from mid of March 2020 due to Coronavirus.

International career

Annan scored his first international goal for Hong Kong against Bhutan on 11 June 2015 in a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier.

Honours

Club

;Tai Po
;Kitchee

Club statistics

International

#DateVenueOpponentResultScoredCompetition
15 March 2014My Dinh National Stadium, Từ Liêm District, Hanoi, Vietnam1–302015 AFC Asian Cup qualification

International goals

NoDateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.11 June 2015Mong Kok Stadium, Mong Kok, Hong Kong2–07–02018 FIFA World Cup qualification

Personal life

Annan's wife, Irene, is a Hong Konger. The couple have a daughter named Precious。