Black Stars winger Joseph Paintsil has described his first season with the Los Angelinos as a productive one.
The former Genk player signed for the six-time MLS Cup winners shortly after Ghana’s abysmal performance in the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations.
Paintsil totalled 32 goal contribution in the 2022/23 season.
With lots of rumours surrounding his next destination including interests from some English Premier League clubs, the fast-paced winger made the Dignity Health Park his next home, adding to a long list of Ghanaians to have played in the MLS, a list that includes Jonathan Mensah, Harrison Afful, David Accam and Yaw Yeboah.
Painstil signed a 3-year deal as one of the three designated players with LA Galaxy.
The former Team Youth player made his debut against San Jose Earthquakes, making 2 assists and scoring a goal.
He capped off his season with 10 goals and 7 assists in 30 regular season appearances and 4 goals in 1 assist in the playoffs.
The winger described the season as amazing one.
“My season was really great. I had a great season. It was fantastic especially coming to a league like MLS. It’s a different league but same football,” he said.
”It was a different style of play but all together it was an amazing season for me because I had a great season scoring some couple of goals and giving more assist which resulted in LA Galaxy winning the Western Conference and the MLS Cup.”
The six-time MLS Cup winners had gone without the trophy since 2014. As a result, Paintsil deems it a great privilege to be part of the team which broke the 10-year MLS Cup drought at the Dignity Health Park.
For his part, winning the league at the time when Messi and Busquets are thriving with their clubs is an honour.
”It feels really great. It is something that every player really wants to have in his books also. We having Messi and Busquets and the other players in the league and winning the league is really important because it has been like 10 years since LA Galaxy won the trophy.
”So, we breaking the record was an amazing feeling for us and for me also added to my record for having a trophy with LA Galaxy in my first season within a couple of months in LA.”
The winger will be hoping to help Galaxy clinch the 2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup.
By Akosua Adjei|MG Sports|Onuaonline.com|Ghana
