Stories and facts

Charles Kweku Bismark Taylor Asampong, popularly known as Charles Taylor, is one of the most electrifying talents to ever grace the Ghana Premier League.

Born on 14 July 1981 in Sefwi in the Western Region, Taylor’s journey to stardom began in the most unexpected ways, polishing shoes for Great Olympics’ management and daring the chairman, Ade Coker, to let him prove he was better than the players on the pitch.

He did, and the rest became history. Taylor’s early nickname, “tailor,” came from helping his uncle, a tailor by trade.

Over time, he adopted the name Charles Taylor, inspired by the former Liberian president, and earned the fearsome football alias “Terror” for his unmatched ability to torment defenders.

His golden years came with Accra Hearts of Oak, where he became a central figure in the legendary “64 Battalion” squad. Under coaches Sir Cecil Jones Attuquayefio and Ofei Ansah, Taylor formed a potent attacking trio with Ishmael Addo and Emmanuel Osei Kuffour.

Together, they dominated Ghanaian football, winning three consecutive league titles from 2000 to 2002, the FA Cup, the CAF Champions League, and the CAF Super Cup.

Taylor scored the opening goal in their famous 2001 Super Cup triumph over Al-Zamalek in Kumasi.

In 2003, Taylor made headlines with a controversial move to arch-rivals Asante Kotoko, a transfer that sparked national debate and cost a then-record fee of GH₵40,000.

Despite the backlash, he delivered immediate results, guiding Kotoko to the league title that same year. He later joined Étoile du Sahel in Tunisia before returning briefly to Hearts of Oak on loan.

On the international stage, Taylor represented Ghana at the 2004 Olympics, won silver with the U-20 team at the 2001 African Youth Championship, and earned 41 caps for the Black Stars, scoring 19 goals.

He was also part of the team that finished runners-up at the 2009 African Nations Championship.

Beyond football, Charles Taylor embraced a new calling. In August 2015, he was ordained as a priest, fulfilling his desire to serve God and inspire others.

Explore the life of Charles Taylor below.