Muntari, renowned for his powerful left foot, enjoyed a trophy-laden tenure at Inter Milan, where he was part of the legendary squad that clinched a historic treble. Before his time in Milan, he contributed to Portsmouth's unforgettable FA Cup victory in 2008.
In an exclusive interview with Flashscore, Muntari reflected on his journey, sharing insights about the Portsmouth team that made history, his experiences working under the astute Harry Redknapp, and how Jose Mourinho played a pivotal role in convincing him to join Inter. He also weighed in on the controversial debate surrounding whether Wesley Sneijder deserved the 2010 Ballon d'Or.
You joined Portsmouth in 2007, and during that time, the club won the FA Cup. How would you describe your experience playing under Harry Redknapp?
“Amazing. Amazing. He basically was like a father figure. He's old. For most of the time during weekdays he doesn't even train us. He comes out on his phone so Tony Adams was the one that was training us all the time, but we had a super great team top and experienced players so we had an amazing season.”
Harry Redknapp has a reputation as a players’ manager. Do you have a favourite story or moment with him from your time at Portsmouth?
“For us, everybody loved him. Everybody felt or was feeling that he was the most important thing. He gives you freedom to do whatever you want at the same time. If you're not performing well, he lets you know.
"He was experienced and very calm. He's a big top coach and a businessman too. During our time, he did a lot of the signings and transfers and he had an amazing eye to get top players.
"So he blended us with Sylvain Distin, Sol Campbell, Nwankwo Kanu. I was there with Lassana Diara in the midfield, and then we had Niko Kranjcar and David James, so top top players.”
What was it like playing alongside stars like Sol Campbell and Jermain Defoe during that iconic season?
“Jermaine Defoe, oh my god, that guy. I think his shoe size is like 36 or 37, very small. But listen, if you give him 10 chances, he's going to score nine. And the last one he will hit the bar. I was in love with him. He's small and so quick.
"Sol Campbell never trained, but then on Saturday or Sunday games, he goes all out. Then Kanu also, Kanu’s knee was already gone but he was a champion.
"I was glad to play with them. I had so much respect for them because some of these guys I watched in school.”
In Italy, you played for Inter Milan under Jose Mourinho, a manager known for his tactical genius and strong personality. How did Mourinho influence your career and what lessons did you learn from him?
“Mourinho was in Ghana in 2008 during the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations. I was also with Portsmouth at that time so we played with his Chelsea side and we were good. After the African Cup, during pre-season for my second season, my agent called me and said, ‘Maybe, maybe, maybe Inter Milan will call you’.
"During training, I put in some really nice crosses and Redknapp said while laughing, ‘That's amazing. That’s excellent. That's why the top teams like Inter want to buy you.’ So when I got home, the same day I got a call from Jose and he said, ‘You want to come play for me?’ I said yes sir. He replied, ‘I'll see you in Milan tomorrow’. He just put the phone down. That's it, then I signed for Inter the next day. The rest was history.”
At Inter, you had the opportunity to play alongside Zlatan Ibrahimovic, a player known for his immense skill and personality. How was he as a teammate and a player on the pitch? And now that he has transitioned into an advisory role at AC Milan, what are your thoughts on his career evolution and his influence off the field?
“As a teammate, Ibrahimovic wasn’t intimidating at all. He just wants the best out of you. He won games easily for whichever team I played. I managed to play with him during his early years in Inter during his first season then we met at Milan.
“Ibrahimovic is the top player, he's one of the best during his time. They didn't want to give him the Ballon d’Or, because he speaks his mind too much. Sometimes they don't like to hear that, but Ibrahimovic is massive. My best strikers of all time are Eto'o, Ibrahimovic and Henry.
“Ibrahimovic has been a winner for a very long time and now that he is taking care of Milan not on the field but in an advisory role, I think with time he will be one of the top football administrators in the world.”
Do you think the future of Milan would have been different if your ‘ghost goal’ against Juventus in 2012 stood?
“Yes, could have won the Scudetto but that year Juventus were just a different breed under Antonio Conte. Oh my God, they were running like mad men. I remember the ball crossed the line and the following year they introduced goal-line technology.
“Lots of teams got away with a lot of things but now you can’t with VAR and everything. If my goal against Juventus was allowed maybe Ibrahimovic and Silva would have stayed and we would have built an amazing team but it’s part of life.
“At least I’m glad there’s change now for the young ones to benefit. Though I think VAR also makes football a bit slow. For instance, you score and celebrate and you can later be told there’s no goal."
Another player you shared the pitch with was Ballon d’Or winner Kaka. How was it like playing with him at Milan?
"Kaka looked soft from the outside, but he was loud. He was amazing. You know how cars change speed? From first, second and third gears. That's how Kaka was. Oh my God.
"I’ve played against him and with him. When he came from Madrid to join Milan, once he passed the ball he took off with top speed. During top speed he changes speed again, I’ve never seen anything like that. Only with Pato, he was closest to changing speed like that. But Kaka was just unbelievable."
Having won the Champions League with Sneijder in 2010, did you think he deserved to win the Ballon d’Or?
“Messi was there. Wesley did amazing that year. He came with so much passion. He helped the team get into the final. He had a great season. Of course, he could have won the Ballon d’Or but Messi is there. He is just a different footballer.”
It’s been 15 years since an Italian team won the UCL, who would your money be on to break this drought, Inter or Milan?
"Inter Milan was in the final two years ago against Man City. I think Inter Milan are building up their team. They are very strong.
"I wanted Inter Milan to win two years ago but Pep Guardiola. Now the way every team is playing, that's how Guardiola was playing with Barcelona long ago. Those days when we play Barcelona, you don’t see the ball. You get 20% possession and they get 80 and they win. The only time they lost was when they came to San Siro because it’s relatively small so we held them there.
"But now with how Simone Inzaghi has set up his team, I think Champions League glory is close. The way they play I think they are mature now with experienced players. I don’t think there’s any team in Europe with a better blend of youth and experience. Inter Milan have a really strong team."
You had episodes where you had to battle racism, especially at Pescara. Reflecting on that, do you think football is doing enough to deal with the issue?
“They can’t deal with racism in Italy. It’s going to be like this for a long time unless they act in a very strict way. In England, you can be suspended or jailed for racism but even with that it is still there. It’s human nature, it is things that they feel about us.
“As a player, I think you don’t have to pay attention to it. If you’re playing football, you go on to do just that. If you’re working you go on to do just that. Wherever you are, just focus on what you do and don’t let someone get to you. Sometimes they bring their frustration to you.
“If I knew at that time, I would have handled things differently. I was young so I would fight back. That being said, I’m hoping one day racism will stop.”
