Boateng’s half brother is professional footballer Jérôme Boateng, who plays for Bayern Munich and the German international team. But beyond Jérôme, Kevin-Prince’s uncle, Robert Boateng, is a former professional footballer who also played for the Ghanaian national side, as well as club team Asante Kotoko. Additionally, Boateng’s cousin, Nyan Boateng, plays American football for the New England Patriots as a wide receiver in the NFL.
Presumably from his time playing in Europe, Boateng speaks English, German, Italian, and Turkish fluently. He also claims to understand French and Arabic, which is a pretty impressive feat for any individual, and a useful trait for a globe-trotting professional sportsman.
In January 2013, Boateng was playing for AC Milan in a mid-season friendly match against Italian Lega Pro 2 side Pro Patria, when he and several of his team-mates were targeted by racist chanting from the crowd. He responded by kicking a ball into the stands and leaving the pitch, where he was followed by his team-mates. The match was subsequently suspended, and his actions were quickly lauded by various players and commentators within the football community.
During an interview with La Gazetta dello Sport newspaper, Boateng revealed he does not think he is a star, and refused to talk about money or wealth. It is public knowledge that the footballer has amassed an impressive personal fortune from a variety of business ventures, commercial sponsors, and wages for over a decade of his professional career. Boateng was named by TV network DStv one of Africa’s sexiest sportsmen, which points to his marketability as a player.
In May 2010, Boateng was playing with Portsmouth FC in the FA Cup final against Chelsea, when he fouled Michael Ballack, the captain of the German national side. Ballack ended up injuring his ligament, removing him from the roster for the 2010 World Cup. The incident was extremely controversial, especially given that Boateng claims that Ballack slapped him in the face earlier in the match. That didn’t stop German football fans everywhere from cursing Boateng’s name for months.
Citing fatigue from travel, Kevin-Prince Boateng announced he would no longer play internationally for the Ghanaian national team in November 2011. However, after missing the 2012 and 2013 Africa Cups of Nations, he chose to rejoin the Black Stars for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, where he was sent home early.
Just hours before the final group match against Portugal at the 2014 World Cup, Boateng is said to have verbally abused Ghanaian manager James Kwesi Appiah, and was sent home, alongside team-mate Sulley Muntari. Boateng later described the decision of the Ghana Football Associaiton as “amateurish.” He has been banned from the Ghanaian national team indefinitely.
Incredibly, Kevin-Prince Boateng is a regular smoker. In fact, he was recently seen having a cigarette right before taking a routine drug test. He was also having a beer, which apparently helps the players produce a sample for the drug test.
