Hundreds of people, including Ghana’s president, have gathered to pay their respects to Christian Atsu, who died in Turkey in last month’s earthquake.
His funeral is being held outside Ghana’s State House in Accra.
“In life, I loved you darling, and in death, I’ll do the same,” the footballer’s widow, Marie-Claire Rupio, said in a tearful tribute.
She was overcome with emotion and finished reading her speech to Atsu’s sister.
“You did not go alone, because a part of me went with you,” it went on. “I see your smile, your love, in the smiles of our children.”
Representatives from Ghana’s national team and Atsu’s Turkish club Hatayspor were also present at the ceremony for a man considered a national hero by many.
“Even at the pinnacle of his career, Astu remained himself, never succumbing to pride, arrogance, or indiscipline,” Sport Minister Mustapha Ussif told mourners. “His legacy will serve as an inspiration for future generations.”
A fortnight after the earthquake, Atsu’s body was recovered from the rubble of his apartment building.
It was returned almost a month ago to Ghana. He will be buried later in his home village in Ghana’s south-east.
Atsu, 31, spent the majority of his career in the English Premier League, playing for clubs such as Chelsea, Newcastle, and Everton.
He also played 65 times for Ghana, helping the national team reach the finals of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea, where he was named goal and player of the tournament.
Many Ghanaians have told the BBC that Atsu will be remembered for his love of humanity and support of the country’s underprivileged.
On Tuesday, hundreds of mourners and well-wishers filed past Atsu’s body to say their final goodbyes.
Drumming and brass bands were among the colorful cultural displays at what would otherwise be a solemn event.
