Latif Atta Blessing (born 30 December 1996) is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Los Angeles FC in Major League Soccer.
Career
Blessing was born in Nankese, a small village in the Suhum-Kraboa-Coaltar District in southeast Ghana, and in 2013 joined the Liberty Professionals youth team in Accra. He soon was promoted to the senior side for the Ghana Premier League but mainly appeared on the bench for the side. Blessing received good reviews for his performance during a Premier League match against Asante Kotoko on 21 June 2015. During the match, he scored in the 21st minute to equalize for Liberty Professionals before he provided two assists that lead his side to a 3–1 victory.
During the 2016 season, Blessing scored six goals in his first eight games. He would go on to finish the season as the top scorer in the league with 17 goals, after his hat-trick on the final day of the season against Bechem United. His performance during the season was recognized in December 2016 when Blessing won the best player of the league award by the Ghana Football Association.
Sporting Kansas City
In January 2017, Blessing signed with Sporting Kansas City of Major League Soccer in the United States.
Blessing’s first MLS goals came in a brace on 13 May 2017 in a 2-2 draw in Orlando versus Orlando City.
Los Angeles FC
In December 2017, Blessing was selected by Los Angeles FC with the second selection of the 2017 MLS Expansion Draft. He made his debut for the club as a starter in their first MLS match, a 1-0 victory at the Seattle Sounders.
International
Blessing was included in the provisional squad for Ghana before the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations but failed to make the final cut.
Career statistics
- As of 10 March 2018
| Club | Season | League | Domestic Cup | League Cup | Continental | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Liberty Professionals | 2016 | GPL | 21 | 17 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 21 | 17 |
| Sporting Kansas City | 2017 | MLS | 25 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 31 | 6 |
| Los Angeles FC | 2018 | MLS | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | 2 | 1 |
| Career total | 48 | 21 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 54 | 24 | ||
Personal
Blessing holds a U.S. green card which qualifies him as a domestic player for MLS roster purposes.
Honors
- Sporting Kansas City