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Eugene Ansah

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01In brief

Eugene Ansah (born December 16, 1994) is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays for Beitar Jerusalem as a striker in the Israeli Premier League. Born in Accra, Ghana, he began his senior career at Belgian club Lokeren and has spent most of his career since 2017 in Israel, interrupted by a 2023–25 spell with FC Dallas. His Israeli clubs have included Beitar Tel Aviv/Ramla, Hapoel Ra'anana, Ironi Kiryat Shmona, Hapoel Be'er Sheva, M.S. Ashdod, and Beitar Jerusalem. His honors include the 2022 Israeli State Cup with Hapoel Be'er Sheva and the 2014 Belgian Cup with Lokeren, and he has made one appearance for Ghana.

02Early Life and Path to Professional Football

Ansah was born on December 16, 1994, in Accra, Ghana.[1][2] He has recalled that his mother moved to Belgium when he was 15. He and his siblings lived with their grandparents in a village, while she bought him football equipment and provided financial support.[3] Reflecting on the difficulties of pursuing football in Ghana, he said: "If I had played in Ghana, you probably would never have heard my name."[3]

He began playing in Ghana with Liberty and came to the attention of scouts at tournaments.[3] His path toward Europe involved trials or expressions of interest from several clubs, including Copenhagen, Rennes, Bastia, PSG, Antwerp, and Molde. PSG extended an invitation, but he said he could not obtain a visa.[3] After a trial at Molde, he sought a Belgian club partly because his mother was living there. He tried out at Club Brugge before eventually joining Lokeren, where he would spend close to five years in total.[3] He described scoring 25 goals for Lokeren's reserve side at age 19–20.[3]

03Career

Ansah joined Lokeren's senior squad in 2013 at age 19, having come through the club's youth department.[2] He spent part of 2016 on loan at fellow Belgian club Lommel before returning to Lokeren for the 2016–17 season.[1][3] During his time with Lokeren, the club won the Belgian Cup in 2014, one of the early honors of his career.[4]

He first arrived in Israel in the summer of 2017, initially trialing at Maccabi Netanya without being signed.[3] He then joined Beitar Tel Aviv/Ramla, where he scored 10 goals in the National League in 2017/18.[2] Ansah moved to Hapoel Ra'anana in January 2019 on a one-and-a-half-season contract.[2] By April, he had scored four goals and provided one assist in eight matches. After returning from an injury, he scored and assisted in Ra'anana's 2–0 win over Hapoel Haifa.[3] He called it "a perfect game for Ra'anana and for me, especially after I returned from the injury."[3]

Ansah later recalled a State Cup match against Hapoel Be'er Sheva during his time at Beitar Tel Aviv/Ramla. After entering as a substitute and playing well, he accidentally walked toward Be'er Sheva's dressing room, where coach Barak Bakhar joked: "Eugene, there is still a little time before you will be here."[3]

Following Ra'anana's relegation, Ansah joined Ironi Kiryat Shmona on loan in August 2020 and scored 10 Premier League goals that season.[2]

Hapoel Be'er Sheva signed Ansah to a three-year contract in June 2021, acquiring him from Ra'anana, which held a $300,000 release clause, ahead of Roni Levy's first full season as head coach.[2][5] He was expected to provide "firepower up front."[5] In the 2022 State Cup final against Maccabi Haifa, he played a direct role in the opening goal, breaking down the wing in the 26th minute and threading a through ball to Ramzi Safuri, who scored. Be'er Sheva won the final 3–1 on penalties after a 2–2 draw following extra time.[4] That triumph joined the Belgian Cup among his career honors, along with an Israeli Super Cup with Be'er Sheva.[4]

On September 14, 2022, Ansah scored a decisive Premier League goal against Hapoel Tel Aviv at Bloomfield Stadium, finding the net from just outside the area to put Be'er Sheva ahead for good in a 3–2 victory after the visitors had twice trailed.[6] In January 2023, he scored the only goal in a 1–0 win over Hapoel Haifa one minute after the opening whistle, with Shai Elias supplying the pass.[7]

After two seasons with Be'er Sheva—accumulating more than 80 appearances and 13 goals according to the club's farewell announcement—Ansah signed with MLS side FC Dallas in June 2023.[8] Dallas coach Nico Estévez described him as a fast player capable of creating chances and scoring who could operate both on the wing and as a central striker.[8] He made 28 appearances for Dallas over approximately a year and a half. His last Dallas appearance came in October 2024, before his move back to Israel.[9]

Ansah returned to Israel in February 2025, agreeing to join M.S. Ashdod.[9] On April 21, he equalized less than a minute after Hapoel Hadera had taken a seventh-minute lead; Ashdod went on to win 4–1, officially relegating Hadera to the Leumit League.[10] He was involved in four goals across the final five league rounds of 2024/25, contributing two goals and two assists as Ashdod secured its top-flight status.[11] In July 2025, he signed a two-year contract extension, saying he had felt connected to the club from the beginning and was proud that the team had achieved its goal of staying up.[11]

In 2025/26, Ansah started 30 league matches and made one substitute appearance for Ashdod, recording nine goals and seven assists.[12] In September 2025, he scored both goals in a 2–0 win over Ironi Kiryat Shmona.[13] In February 2026, he scored an equalizer against former club Hapoel Be'er Sheva, though Be'er Sheva ultimately won 2–1.[14]

Beitar Jerusalem signed Ansah through 2028 in June 2026 while he was pursuing Israeli residency status.[15] His debut campaign included the UEFA Conference League third-round second leg against Austria Wien in August 2026. With the tie level at 3–3 on aggregate, Ansah sent his penalty off the bar in the shootout, which Austria Wien won 4–2 to eliminate Beitar.[16] In September 2026, he scored the only goal in a 1–0 away victory over Bnei Sakhnin, giving Beitar its first league win of the season. He stretched out a leg following a corner and rolled the ball into the net in the 63rd minute.[17][18]

04Legacy

Ansah's career has been marked by a long run in Israeli football across both the National League and Premier League, interrupted by his spell with FC Dallas. His principal team honors include the 2022 State Cup and Israeli Super Cup with Hapoel Be'er Sheva, as well as the 2014 Belgian Cup with Lokeren.[1][4]

His 2025/26 Ashdod campaign produced nine goals and seven assists in 31 league appearances before his move to Beitar Jerusalem.[12][15] He has also made one senior appearance for Ghana.[2]

05Controversies

Ansah's status under Israeli player-registration rules remained unsettled as of September 2026. An earlier application for Israeli citizenship, made while he was at Ashdod, was reported to have been rejected. After he received a work permit, Beitar Jerusalem planned to apply for temporary-resident status on his behalf; if approved, he would no longer count as a foreign player. At the time of the report, the new request had not yet been submitted or approved.[15]

Sources

  1. 1Walla! Sport, accessed on October 6, 2026.
  2. 2Sport5, First publication: Eugene Ansah has reached an agreement with Hapoel B'S, accessed on October 6, 2026.
  3. 3ONE, Ansah: Foreign players who come to Israel lose it, accessed on October 6, 2026.
  4. 4ONE, For the third time in its history: B'S won the Cup, accessed on October 6, 2026.
  5. 5The Jerusalem Post, Time to kick off Israeli soccer campaign, accessed on October 6, 2026.
  6. 6The Jerusalem Post, Maccabi Haifa goes from Ness Ziona to PSG, accessed on October 6, 2026.
  7. 7The Jerusalem Post, Not many goals for high-octane Israeli clubs, accessed on October 6, 2026.
  8. 8Sport5, Eugene Ansah left Hapoel B'S and signed with Dallas of MLS, accessed on October 6, 2026.
  9. 9Maariv, Surprise: Eugene Ansah returns to Israeli football. An Argentine connection will also sign, accessed on October 6, 2026.
  10. 10The Jerusalem Post, Hapoel Beersheba defeats Hapoel Haifa, accessed on October 6, 2026.
  11. 11ONE, Staying in the port city: Ansah signed for two years at Ashdod, accessed on October 6, 2026.
  12. 12Sport5, Eugene Ansah in Beitar Jerusalem kit - all the statistics, accessed on October 6, 2026.
  13. 13The Jerusalem Post, Israeli soccer season keeps up the excitement, accessed on October 6, 2026.
  14. 14The Jerusalem Post, Hapoel Tel Aviv, Maccabi Haifa, Beersheba secure wins, accessed on October 6, 2026.
  15. 15Sport5, Soon to be Israeli? The development on the subject of Eugene Ansah, accessed on October 6, 2026.
  16. 16The Jerusalem Post, Israeli football clubs face both wins and losses in Europe, accessed on October 6, 2026.
  17. 17The Jerusalem Post, Maccabi Tel Aviv crushes Hapoel Beersheba in 4-1 victory, accessed on October 6, 2026.
  18. 18Maariv, Room to breathe: Ansah gave Beitar Jerusalem its first league win of the season | Watch, accessed on October 6, 2026.

IsraelPedia Question & Answers

  • Who is Eugene Ansah?

    Eugene Ansah is a Ghanaian professional footballer born on December 16, 1994, in Accra, Ghana, who plays as a striker in the Israeli Premier League for Beitar Jerusalem. He began his senior career at Belgian club Lokeren and has spent most of his career since 2017 in Israel, with a spell at MLS side FC Dallas from 2023 to 2025. His career honors include the 2022 Israeli State Cup with Hapoel Be'er Sheva and the 2014 Belgian Cup with Lokeren.

  • How did Eugene Ansah make his way from Ghana to professional football in Europe?

    Ansah began playing in Ghana with Liberty and came to the attention of scouts at tournaments. His path to Europe involved trials or expressions of interest from several clubs, including Copenhagen, Rennes, Bastia, PSG, Antwerp, and Molde, though a PSG invitation fell through when he said he could not obtain a visa. He eventually sought a Belgian club partly because his mother was living there, tried out at Club Brugge, and finally joined Lokeren, where he would spend close to five years in total.

  • What role did Eugene Ansah play in Hapoel Be'er Sheva's 2022 State Cup victory?

    In the 2022 State Cup final against Maccabi Haifa, Ansah played a direct role in the opening goal, breaking down the wing in the 26th minute and threading a through ball to Ramzi Safuri, who scored. Be'er Sheva won the final 3–1 on penalties after a 2–2 draw following extra time.

  • What did Eugene Ansah accomplish during his time at FC Dallas?

    Ansah signed with MLS side FC Dallas in June 2023 after two seasons with Hapoel Be'er Sheva, during which Dallas coach Nico Estévez described him as a fast player capable of creating chances and scoring who could operate both on the wing and as a central striker. He made 28 appearances for Dallas over approximately a year and a half, with his last appearance coming in October 2024 before his move back to Israel.

  • What impact did Eugene Ansah have on M.S. Ashdod's survival in the top flight in 2024/25?

    Ansah returned to Israel in February 2025 and joined M.S. Ashdod, contributing two goals and two assists across the final five league rounds of 2024/25 as Ashdod secured its top-flight status. He signed a two-year contract extension in July 2025, saying he had felt connected to the club from the beginning and was proud the team had achieved its goal of staying up.

  • What happened when Eugene Ansah made his UEFA Conference League appearance with Beitar Jerusalem?

    Ansah's debut campaign with Beitar Jerusalem included the UEFA Conference League third-round second leg against Austria Wien in August 2026. With the tie level at 3–3 on aggregate, Ansah sent his penalty off the bar in the shootout, which Austria Wien won 4–2 to eliminate Beitar.

  • What is Eugene Ansah's registration status under Israeli player rules?

    As of September 2026, Ansah's status under Israeli player-registration rules remained unsettled. An earlier application for Israeli citizenship, made while he was at Ashdod, was reported to have been rejected. After he received a work permit, Beitar Jerusalem planned to apply for temporary-resident status on his behalf, which if approved would mean he would no longer count as a foreign player, though at the time of the report the new request had not yet been submitted or approved.