The former Ghana international believes the absence of the 26-year-old defender would be greatly felt by the four-time African champions in the upcoming global showpiece owing to his injury setback
Mohammed Salisu's Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury is a very big blow for Ghana, according to former Black Stars winger Laryea Kingston, with the ex-Southampton man set to miss the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup in June this year.
The tough-tackling bulky centre-back picked up the injury during AS Monaco's 1-3 defeat against Olympique Lyonnais in the French Ligue 1 over the weekend.
Nonetheless, with the knee tear set to keep Salisu on the sidelines for close to 9 months, the now Ugandan talent nurturing gaffer believes the absence of the dependable defender at the quadrennial tournament would be immensely felt by the west African powerhouse given his output in the team.
The quick-tempered former Ghana U17 manager told 3Sports: ''It’s a very big blow for us [Salisu’s ACL injury] because he [Salisu] is such an important figure at the back. When you talk about experienced players at our back line, I think he’s one of them and it’s going to be a very big blow for us.''
He added by admonishing the current crop of players to remain calm and focused as they await to begin their journey in the global football event this year: ''My advice to the current players, they should just relax. They should focus. You have to play whether you like it or not. The more minutes you play, the more competitive you become, and the more your form picks up.''
He has remained an integral part of the senior men's national team since making his debut in 2022, having so far taken in 22 appearances with 4 goals to his name on the international stage.
