Kojo Peprah Oppong’s rise in France has been nothing short of meteoric. The 21-year-old Ghanaian defender, who only swapped Swedish side IFK Norrköping for OGC Nice this past summer, has already cemented himself as an unexpected fixture in the Ligue 1 club’s starting line up.
When the move was finalized, few anticipated that Oppong would walk straight into Francesco Farioli’s plans. The idea was for him to ease in gradually, learning the ropes behind veterans such as club captain Dante. Instead, the young centre-back has defied the script.
After debuting as a substitute during Nice’s Champions League qualifier against Benfica in August, Oppong has since earned a starting berth in every competitive match. His latest outing came in the weekend clash against Nantes, a game that saw him retain his spot even with Dante returning from injury.
3 points qui font du bien.
🤝 @VBET_fr | #ogcnfcn pic.twitter.com/7j0qkjsRp4
— OGC Nice (@ogcnice) September 13, 2025
Speaking after the match, Oppong confessed his astonishment at how quickly things have unfolded.
“I’m surprised,” he admitted. “I am taking it step by step. I didn’t expect to play this much in the beginning, but I’m now playing a lot and I expect a lot from myself.”
Beyond his own performances, Oppong highlighted the guidance he’s been receiving from Dante, a player who has long been a cornerstone of French football.
“It was really good to have him back. He helps us young players a lot. I spoke to him after the game and it was good to have some feedback from him.
“He said that it is important to manage the game, to save some energy, and especially when we are leading, not to attack too much as centre-backs. That was really good advice.”
For Ghanaian supporters, Oppong’s early impact is a storyline to savour. From a low-profile signing to an indispensable figure in Nice’s backline, the defender’s rapid adaptation has turned him into one of Ligue 1’s surprise packages, and possibly one of Ghana’s brightest defensive prospects on the European stage.
