Ahead of England’s World Cup clash with Ghana, Ghanaian traditional priest Nana Kwaku Bonsam has once again found himself in the spotlight after claiming he is “working on” England captain Harry Kane.
Bonsam is no stranger to football headlines.
The spiritualist previously claimed responsibility for the injury problems that affected Cristiano Ronaldo before the 2014 World Cup. He now says he hopes to stop Kane from influencing the match. 
His latest comments have revived one of football’s oldest and most unusual talking points: the role of witch doctors, curses, and spiritual beliefs in the sport.
The Ronaldo Claim of 2014
Bonsam first gained international attention during the build-up to the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
At the time, he claimed he had spiritually influenced Ronaldo’s fitness issues ahead of Ghana’s meeting with Portugal.
Ronaldo entered the tournament carrying knee and thigh concerns. The timing of those injuries helped fuel interest in Bonsam’s claims and generated coverage across international media.
Despite the claims, Ronaldo featured at the tournament and scored against Ghana in Portugal’s 2-1 victory.
Portugal, however, failed to progress beyond the group stage.
More than a decade later, Bonsam has once again attached his name to one of football’s biggest stars.
This time, the focus is on Harry Kane.
A Counter-Claim From Uri Geller
Bonsam’s comments have drawn a response from television personality Uri Geller.
Geller, who has long been associated with claims of paranormal abilities, said he intends to protect Kane from any spiritual interference.
According to reports, he believes any alleged curse can be cancelled before kick-off.
The exchange has added another talking point to a fixture that already carries major sporting significance.
Australia’s Long Curse
Australia has one of football’s most famous curse stories.
According to a widely circulated account, Australian officials consulted a witch doctor during the country’s unsuccessful attempts to qualify for the 1970 World Cup.
Reports later claimed a disagreement over payment led to a curse being placed on the national team.
Australia then failed to qualify for the World Cup for more than three decades.
The story became so well known that television personality John Safran travelled to Africa in 2004 in an effort to lift the alleged curse.
Australia eventually returned to the World Cup in 2006 after securing qualification for the tournament in Germany.
Spiritual Beliefs in African Football
Stories involving spiritual practices have appeared across African football for decades.
Over the years, coaches, players, supporters, and officials have made allegations involving charms, rituals, and spiritual protection before important matches.
In some cases, teams accused opponents of using supernatural means to gain an advantage.
In others, supporters pointed to spiritual explanations after unexpected defeats or controversial results.
Such claims have surfaced in both club and international football and often attract significant public attention.
Europe’s Version of the Curse
Europe has its own version of football curses.
For years, Harry Kane was linked to what fans jokingly called the “trophy curse.”
Despite becoming one of the most prolific goalscorers of his generation, he spent much of his career without winning a major trophy for club or country.
The narrative followed him through several near misses before he finally ended the wait after joining Bayern Munich.
That type of curse differs from Bonsam’s claims.
However, it shows how stories involving bad luck and superstition continue to follow some of football’s biggest names.
With England preparing to face Ghana, Bonsam’s latest comments have added another chapter to football’s long history of witch doctors, curses, and superstition.
From Cristiano Ronaldo to Harry Kane, some of the sport’s biggest stars have found themselves linked to stories that stretch far beyond the pitch.
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