Ghana Black Stars defender Mohammed Salisu has been ruled out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after suffering an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury, according to reports by GetFrenchFootball.
The injury occurred during AS Monaco’s 3-1 defeat to Olympique Lyon in a French Ligue 1 encounter over the weekend. Salisu was among three Monaco players who picked up injuries in the match.
Although the 26-year-old defender completed the full 90 minutes, medical assessments have since confirmed the serious nature of the injury, effectively ending his chances of featuring at this year’s World Cup.
The setback comes at a difficult time for Salisu, who had only recently regained top form after a challenging start to the 2025/26 season that was disrupted by injuries and limited playing time. He has made 18 appearances in all competitions for Monaco this season.
Salisu, who represented Ghana at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, was widely expected to feature at his second World Cup, having established himself as one of Ghana’s most reliable defenders playing abroad.
Ghana has been drawn in Group L alongside England, Croatia, and Panama, with two of the Black Stars’ group matches scheduled to be played in the United States, while the fixture against Panama will take place in Canada.
The defender’s injury adds to a worrying trend of ACL setbacks among Black Stars players in recent years. Lyon’s Ernest Nuamah, Leicester City winger Abdul Fatawu Issahaku, and SC Freiburg’s Daniel Kofi Kyereh have all suffered similar injuries.
Source: citinews
