Who is Derrick Luckassen? Ghana defender who scored vs Croatia in FIFA World Cup 2026

The 30-year-old scored the equaliser for the Black Stars.

Ghana battled it out against the Croatia national football team for their third and final group stage fixture. This 2026 FIFA World Cup match took place at the Philadelphia Stadium.

The Black Stars were yet to confirm their spot in the knockout stage of the mega competition this year. The Vatreni took the lead in the first half and took a 1-0 lead. It was only in the final quarter of the game when Ghana national football team scored an equaliser.

Derrick Luckassen tapped the ball at the back of the net in the 73rd minute and this was an important goal for his nation. The Black Stars failed to contain the Croatian attack and conceded a goal 10 minutes later.

Also Read: List of All Matches Confirmed for Round of 32 of FIFA World Cup 2026

Derrick Luckassen Profile

• Age: 30
• Position: Centre-Back
• Club: FC Pafos

Derrick Luckassen was born on July 3, 1995, in Amsterdam, Netherlands. He is of Ghana descent, but has represented the Netherlands at Under-18, Under-19, Under-20 and Under-21. He was eligible to play for Ghana as well because of his family. He accepted his first senior call-up from the Black Stars in March 2026 for the friendly games.

Luckassen is now playing at the FIFA World Cup 2026 for the Ghana national football team and has scored his first goal on the grandest stage of them all.

He developed his footballing skills at a young age and joined the academy for AZ Alkmaar. Later in 2014, he made his senior debut for the club. His presence in the backline and overall strength impressed the coaching staff. Luckassen eventually became a regular starter for the club.

In 2017, he joined PSV Eindhoven. There was increased competition for places in the club and he went on loan to several European clubs before signing for Israeli giants Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2022. He established himself as one of the top players in the squad.

In 2024, Derrick Luckassen joined Pafos FC in Cyprus and is now a defensive leader for the club.

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