Mohammed Anas: Footballer went viral for thanking ‘wife and girlfriend’ in 2017 interview | OneFootball

Mohammed Anas isn’t a particularly big name in the world of football but the Ghanaian striker still knows what it feels like to go viral on social media.

Unfortunately for Anas, who has spent his entire career to date playing in South Africa, the reason he went viral wasn’t for scoring a Puskas Award contender or for another feat of individual brilliance on the football pitch.

Instead, Anas inadvertently found internet fame in March 2017 after thanking both his ‘wife and girlfriend’ in an incredibly awkward interview that quickly spread across social media like wildlife.

Post-match interviews are often dull but Anas, who’d just scored two goals for Free State Stars against Ajax Cape Town, well and truly put his foot in it during his Man of the Match speech.

“Thank you very much for giving me this,” Anas said. “And I appreciate my fans also. My wife and my girlfriend…”

It was at this precise moment Anas knew he was in big trouble.

Trying to dig his way out of an increasingly deep hole, Anas continued: “I mean my wife, sorry to say. Listen! I love you so much! I love you so much, from my heart.”

Video: Footballer thanks 'wife and girlfriend' in interview

Unfortunately for Anas, the interview was broadcast live, meaning there was no chance of starting again from scratch.

What did Mohammed Anas say after the interview?

After the clip went viral, Anas conducted an interview with BBC News in an attempt to clear things up.

But if anything, he only made things worse.

"My family knows that I call my daughter my girlfriend. That's what I was talking about. I don't have a girlfriend," Anas insisted.

On his wife of seven years at the time, he continued: "I love her so much. She's given me two beautiful children. She is fine. She knows what kind of man I am so I am not worried.”

He was also surprised how many people had watch the video.

The forward added: "I'm famous now - people around the world know me."

Mohammed Anas hit the headlines again in 2021

Anas hit the headlines again in November 2021 after he was reportedly branded “cursed” by South African club TS Galaxy.

Per Ghana-based website Pulse, the 27-year-old was considering retirement after being released for ‘carrying bad luck’.

His teammates reportedly raised concerns that every team he plays for ends up being relegated from South Africa’s top flight.

"Yesterday, a friend from Ghana called me and asked me about being cursed. Because I'm not on social media I phoned my wife to check for me,” Anas reportedly said.

"I then said to myself, if TS Galaxy are telling me that I'm cursed, was I the only player playing for a team that was relegated? No. Is it because I'm a foreigner?

"If I'm cursed, as a brother, you must help me. I have no one here, I only have my wife and my kids. I don't know why people are saying such things about me.

"Now I'm losing my job because of this, I'm scared. How are teams going to sign me? I don't know if I should stop playing football. What other job do I know? Football is what God gave me.”

That's not good. Hopefully another club soon takes him on and realises that talk of a 'curse' is obviously nonsense.

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