The talented winger is expected to be sidelined for the remainder of the year, a significant setback for a player who had recently begun to find his rhythm, contributing four goals and one assist in his last six appearances for both club and country.
Nuamah's injury adds to a troubling trend among Ghanaian players, marking him as the sixth national team player to suffer an ACL injury in the past two years.
Historically, such injuries were rare in Ghanaian football, with Rabiu Mohammed and Baba Rahman being the last notable cases in 2016 and 2017, respectively. Prior to that, Michael Essien faced similar challenges in 2008 and 2011.
However, since 2023, the landscape has changed dramatically, with Daniel-Kofi Kyereh, Fatawu Issahaku, Alidu Seidu, Baba Iddrisu, Abdul Mumin, and now Nuamah all experiencing ACL ruptures.
These players have collectively amassed over 115 caps for the national team, highlighting their importance to Ghana's football future.
Dr. Prince Pambo, team doctor for the Black Stars, recently explained to Flashscore that the increase in ACL injuries can largely be attributed to the heightened physical demands placed on players today.
“What we have noticed is that the load players are exposed to have quadrupled compared to previous times. Players are now participating in more games and training sessions than ever before, which increases their risk of injury.”
The statistics paint a stark picture of this increased workload:
• Fatawu Issahaku: 39 out of 51 starts, totaling 3,393 league minutes with Leicester City in two seasons.
• Ernest Nuamah: 67 out of 95 starts, accumulating 5,874 league minutes since moving to Europe in 2021.
• Alidu Seidu: 84 out of 108 starts, with a remarkable 7,249 league minutes played in five seasons in France.
• Baba Iddrisu: 127 out of 175 starts, amassing a whopping 11,255 league minutes in seven seasons in Spain.
• Abdul Mumin: 135 out of 154 starts, totaling a staggering 11,926 league minutes for three clubs since 2016.
These high demands, which do not account for cup and national team minutes, have taken their toll on players who were poised to form the backbone of Ghana's national team for years to come.
Kofi Kyereh can be considered a freak case as he had already torn his ACL when he was a teenager. After making an impressive 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) cameo, Kyereh returned to Freiburg and tore his ACL again.
The 29-year-old fully recovered and started pre-season with the German outfit but had another complication with the same knee and needed his surgery redone. He is also expected to be out for the rest of the 2024/25 season.
Last November was particularly grim for the Black Stars; while they grappled with failing to qualify for the 2025 AFCON, they also saw Issahaku and Seidu suffer ACL injuries that would sideline them for the rest of their seasons.
Issahaku's injury occurred during the AFCON qualifier against Angola, while Seidu's happened against Lille shortly after the international break.
Iddrisu faced his own struggles in December with a grade two sprain and partial ACL tear in a LaLiga 2 match against Cordoba. Just three months later, Mumin ruptured his ACL in a game against Sevilla before Nuamah's unfortunate injury in April.
These injuries have come at the worst possible time for a Black Stars team currently being reconstructed and built for the future.
As Ghana's national team undergoes reconstruction and prepares for crucial World Cup qualifiers against Chad and Mali this September, Otto Addo will face the daunting task of assembling a squad with several key players missing.
With young talents like Seidu and Issahaku finally returning to training on grass after long absences, it’s disheartening to see new injuries emerge.
For Ghanaians who cherish football, it’s heartbreaking to witness such promising young talents sidelined by ACL injuries.
The Black Star Watch is a compelling weekly column written by Owuraku Ampofo, a seasoned sports journalist with over five years of experience reporting on Ghanaian players. This column aims to uncover patterns, address pressing questions, and illuminate trending topics surrounding Ghanaian footballers.
