Roger De Sa: Injuries to Kudus, Key Players Hurt Ghana's 2026 World Cup Campaign

Roger De Sa Reveals 7 Reasons Injuries Hurt Ghana’s World Cup Campaign

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Roger De Sa: Injuries to Kudus, Key Players Hurt Ghana’s 2026 World Cup Campaign

Black Stars assistant coach Roger De Sa has attributed Ghana’s disappointing 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign to the absence of several key players, including Mohammed Kudus, saying injuries significantly weakened the squad throughout the tournament.

Roger De Sa Reveals 7 Reasons Injuries Hurt Ghana's World Cup Campaign Nukunya

Speaking to Flashscore, the South African coach explained that Ghana entered the World Cup without four regular first-team players after injuries ruled them out before the competition.

Among those unavailable were Mohammed Kudus, Mohammed Salisu, Alexander Djiku, and Abu Francis, forcing the technical team to adjust its plans and rely on younger, less experienced players.

Missing Key Players Changed Ghana’s Plans

De Sa said losing multiple senior players, especially in defence, created major challenges for the coaching staff as they prepared for the tournament.

“We had lost four regular players, including both centre-backs, a winger from Tottenham Hotspur (Mohammed Kudus) and a midfielder,” he said.

“The absence of the centre-backs was particularly concerning because it meant using younger, less experienced players.”

He noted that the injuries disrupted team balance and limited the options available to the coaching staff during the World Cup.

Squad Selection Was Challenging

The assistant coach also revealed that selecting the final squad became more difficult because several players under consideration were struggling for playing time at their respective clubs.

“Some of the players we were considering were also not getting regular game time at their clubs, so the selection process was challenging,” De Sa explained.

“You could travel to another city to watch a player, take your seat in the stadium and then find that he was on the bench.”

According to him, limited club minutes made it harder to properly assess players before making final selections.

Ghana’s World Cup Journey

The Black Stars began their campaign with a 1-0 victory over Panama, followed by a hard-fought 0-0 draw against England.

However, Ghana concluded the group stage with a 2-1 defeat to Croatia, advancing to the Round of 32 before suffering a 1-0 loss to Colombia, ending their World Cup journey.

Despite the elimination, Ghana’s performances showed resilience despite the absence of several experienced members of the squad.

Focus Shifts to AFCON 2027 Qualifiers

With the World Cup now over, Ghana will turn its attention to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, where several injured stars are expected to return.

Players including Mohammed Kudus, Mohammed Salisu, and Alexander Djiku are anticipated to strengthen the squad ahead of the qualifying campaign.

The Black Stars have been drawn in Group C alongside Ivory Coast, Gambia, and Somalia, with qualifiers set to begin in September.