Ashenafi Girma is a renowned Ethiopian soccer star, widely regarded as one of the best players in Ethiopia’s football history. He was born and raised in Dire Dawa, where he started his football career with his hometown club Dire Dawa Textile FC.
Ashenafi’s exceptional skills on the field quickly caught the attention of Ethiopia’s top football clubs, and he went on to play for Ethiopian Coffee FC, Ethiopian Insurance FC, and others. In addition, he was a midfielder for Ethiopia’s National and Youth teams from 1997-2011, and during this time, he played more than 300 games and scored more than 80 goals.
Ashenafi’s talent and dedication to the sport did not go unnoticed, and he was awarded the best player of the Year award twice. He was a member of the Ethiopian U-20 Team, which qualified for the World Cup 2001 in Argentina. In addition to his success in the field, Girma also served as a UNICEF ambassador of Ethiopia for two years, from 2010 to 2012.
Ashenafi passion for soccer led him to explore opportunities beyond Ethiopia, and he spent two years in Yemen as a professional player. During this time, he continued to hone his skills and earn coaching licenses, including Canada’s B coaching license and earlier CAF’s C and B coaching licenses.
Ashenafi’s commitment to the sport extends beyond his playing days. He now runs the Ashenafi Girma Soccer Academy in Toronto, where he trains more than 100 teenagers from different nations twice weekly. His dream is to create good, responsible citizens through soccer, and he is fully engaged in achieving this goal.
Despite his success and accomplishments, Ashenafi remains humble and grounded, always remembering his roots and those who supported him. His legacy as one of Ethiopia’s greatest soccer players will continue to inspire future generations of players for years to come.