He recently stated in The Athletic that he hadn't just come to enjoy life in Los Angeles or California. “No, I came to make an impression and write my name in the history of the club, to win trophies. That’s the most important thing, to leave something so that I will be remembered when I go, like David Beckham and Ibrahimovic.”
He could just as easily have named Christian Wilhelmsson (ex-Anderlecht). Joseph Paintsil in any case has a huge impact on the game and the results of his team. The former Genkois is the catalyst of the attack, opening spaces thanks to his speed and his movements behind the opposing defenses. His coach Vanney called him a “sophisticated” player who puts himself at the service of the team. Noting his ability to make runs, deliver the last pass and, of course, finish actions.
The Ghanaian is the type of player the Galaxy needed to get back to the top, with the club having not made it past the Western Conference quarter-finals since 2014. The 2023 season was particularly disastrous, with the Californians finishing at penultimate place in the Western Conference and in the general ranking of the League. Despite players such as Riqui Puig and Chicharito Hernández in the squad. This season, with former Anderlecht player Dejan Joveljic, he is energizing the American attack. Between them, they are involved in 13 of the 17 goals scored by their team.
Dejan Joveljic also praised the Ghanaian: “Paintsil is a great player, and a very humble person. He will help us a lot this season with his goals and assists. We will be more dangerous this year, more than ever.”
In any case, Jelle Van Damme's former club seems reinvigorated this year and capable of competing with the best. After 8 days, the LA Galaxy is leader of the Western Conference and Paintsil is one of the great architects. We will see on the night of Sunday to Monday against SJ Earthquakes if this is confirmed…
