UMB Speed Stars recorded an emphatic 6-2 victory over the Black Stars Legends in a friendly match played at the Adjiringano Astro Turf.

The game, organised by the Universal Merchant Bank (UMB) in collaboration with the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and Professional Footballers Association of Ghana (PFAG) brought together former Ghana internationals and football personalities for an entertaining exhibition match.

The event comes as UMB deepens its involvement in Ghana football, with the bank now serving as the headline sponsor of the Ghana Division One League.

The Black Stars Legends featured a host of former national team stars, including Sammy Agyei, Fatawu Dauda, Yaw Preko, Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu, Daniel Opare and former Ghana international striker Abdul Majid Waris.

Speaking at the event, UMB Managing Director, Dr. Philip Oti-Mensah, reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to supporting the development of sports in Ghana.

“UMB has been around since 1972. Ghanaians trust us, you know, for being a reliable bank, and we know that Ghanaians are passionate about football. So we want to reward Ghanaians by investing in what they are passionate about.’’

He added that, “But at the same time, of course, there will be, you know, brand benefits, because any time that the Black Stars are mentioned or the GFA is mentioned, you know, it's, you know, associated with UMB. And, you know, so that's why we are investing. And so far, the returns are good. You know, the top-of-the-mind awareness that we are getting from this, it's immeasurable.”

Dr. Oti-Mensah also stressed the importance of financial literacy among footballers, urging players to develop sound financial management skills alongside their careers.

‘’Part of the partnership or the sponsorship package is what we call a financial literacy education. You know, usually when footballers leave the game, they will come home, and they are not able to manage their resources well. So we've already started.’’ He said.

“You know, we travel with them. We train them. We show them. We open accounts for them. We show them how to manage their resources. We show them how to invest.” he said.

Emphasizing that “for me, that is the biggest pillar of this partnership. You know, footballers need to manage their resources well. They get a lot of resources, and how would they manage it if they don't get a reliable financial partner like UMB?”.

The Ghana Football Association welcomed UMB’s growing involvement in football, noting that partnerships with corporate institutions are important to strengthening the game and creating sustainable opportunities across the football ecosystem.