Ibrahim Sulemana, a midfielder for Cagliari, has been called up for the first time to the Ghanaian national team for the 2026 World Cup qualifying matches against Mali and the Central African Republic.
After having a strong season in the Italian Serie A, Otto Addo, the coach of the Black Stars, noticed the 21-year-old and added him to the 26-man roster for the upcoming pivotal matches.
Ibrahim Sulemana, a native of Sunyani, started playing football in his hometown of Brong Ahafo, in southwest Ghana. Oliver Artur, a Ghanaian player agent, noticed him in 2019 and took him to Italy for trials at Atalanta.
There, Sulemana spent two years participating in national competitions before taking a hard blow to the face during a match that left him with a facial injury. In the summer of 2021, after being rejected by Atalanta, he eventually signed with Hellas Verona.
The club allowed him to begin using the Primavera and paid for his medical bills, including the cost of his facial surgery. On July 1, 2022, he committed to Hellas for his first professional contract.
Ibrahim played for the Verona under-19 team. He has two goals to his name and has made 24 appearances for his current club.
Sulemana proved he was a talented player by scoring two goals in 21 Serie A games while playing for Cagliari in midfield.
After a somewhat slow start to the qualifiers last year, the Black Stars are determined to win both games, and Sulemana is willing to play his first game for Ghana.
Preparations for the World Cup qualifying matches will commence on Thursday, May 30, 2024, at the University of Ghana Stadium in Legon.
Ghana’s campaign will begin against Mali on June 6 at Stade 26 Mars in Bamako. On June 10, they will return home to play the Central African Republic at Baba Yara Stadium.
