Meet Michael Essien’s Kids: Jermaine Kwame Sakyi Essien, Michael Essien Jr. and Michelle Essien

Michael Essien is a legendary Ghanaian footballer celebrated for his dominant midfield performances with Chelsea, Lyon, and the Ghana national team.

Nicknamed The Bison, he was born on December 3, 1982, in Accra, Ghana, and is 43 years old. Despite his global fame, Essien has consistently kept his personal and family life out of the public spotlight.

He spent much of his childhood in Awutu Breku, a small town in central Ghana, growing up in modest circumstances after his parents separated.

Essien was raised primarily by his mother, Aba Gyandoh, a baker, while his father, James Essien, was a former local footballer and physical education teacher whose influence helped spark Michael’s early love for the game. His father passed away in 2013. Essien is of Guan ethnicity, with roots in central Ghana, and practices Christianity, while maintaining public respect for other faiths.

Essien has four older sisters named Alice Gladys  Essien, Joyce Essien, and Diana Essien. He attended Gomoa Nyanyano DC Primary and Junior Secondary School before graduating from St. Augustine’s College in Cape Coast, where his football talent began to attract national attention. Standing 1.78 meters tall, he launched his professional career with Liberty Professionals in Ghana before moving to Europe.

Essien is known for his discretion. He married Akosua Puni Essien, a British-Ghanaian businesswoman and former publicist, in a private ceremony in London around 2012–2013. Together, they have two children: a son, Michael Essien Jr., and a daughter, Michelle Essien.

Essien is also the father of an older son, Jermaine Kwame Sakyi Essien, from a previous relationship. The family divides their time between Ghana and the United Kingdom, carefully shielding their children from media attention.

Jermaine Kwame Sakyi Essien

Jermaine Kwame Sakyi Essien is Michael Essien‘s firstborn son, born from a previous relationship with Leila Beiruthy around 2007–2008. Reports from that period describe Jermaine as resembling his father closely, with features such as his forehead, lips, and eyes noted as strikingly similar to those of the football star.

Born in late 2007 in the UK, Jermaine has largely stayed out of the public eye, much like the rest of Essien‘s family. As the eldest, he holds a special place as Essien’s first child during the height of his playing career at Chelsea.

Michael Essien Jr.

Michael Essien Jr. is the son Essien shares with his wife, Akosua Puni Essien. Often referred to as the couple’s elder child (with some sources noting him as the firstborn of their union), he has appeared in rare glimpses of the family, shared indirectly through media or social mentions.

Described in various reports as a “bouncing” or adorable boy, Michael Jr. has been part of the private family life Essien and Akosua have built since their private London wedding around 2012. The family has kept details about his age, interests, and activities minimal to protect his privacy.

Michelle Essien

Michelle Essien is the daughter of Michael Essien and Akosua Puni Essien, completing the couple’s immediate family unit. She is frequently mentioned alongside her brother Michael Jr. in the few public references to the children, such as family photos that have occasionally surfaced online.

Described as part of the “adorable” or “beautiful” kids in rare media features, Michelle represents the joyful side of Essien‘s post-playing life. Like her siblings, she remains shielded from the spotlight, allowing her to grow up away from the intense scrutiny that followed her father’s illustrious career.

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