Ryan Bertrand, a former English defender, has spoken highly of his former Chelsea teammate, Michael Essien, describing him as a ‘warrior’ on the pitch.
Bertrand praised Essien’s exceptional midfield abilities and recalled their time together when they achieved Chelsea’s first UEFA Champions League title in 2012.
During his first visit to Ghana, Bertrand acknowledged Essien’s incredible talent and personality, highlighting his unwavering commitment and dedication as a player. He referred to Essien as the “Bison,” noting that while he could be one of the friendliest guys off the pitch, you wouldn’t want to challenge him in a tackle.
“He’s an amazing person and a warrior on the pitch that’s why we call him the Bison. He could be the friendliest guy but you don’t want to get into a tackle with him.
Bertrand emphasized that both as a player and as an individual, Essien had a legendary career and was an amazing person.
“That’s for sure so can really have enough of him. As a player, he absolutely has a legendary career and as a person, he is really really an amazing individual.”
While Bertrand continued his career with Southampton and Leicester after Chelsea, Essien had spells with AC Milan, Real Madrid, Panathinaikos, and other clubs before transitioning into coaching, acquiring his coaching badges at FC Nordsjælland in Denmark.