Ghana midfielder Daniel Kofi Kyereh has opened up about the darkest phase of his career, revealing that he seriously considered retirement during his prolonged injury layoff.
Kyereh, who made his Black Stars debut in 2021, suffered a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury in 2022 that kept him sidelined for almost three years, derailing a promising start to his international and club career.
Speaking in an emotional interview with Joy Sports, the midfielder admitted that doubts about continuing his career surfaced during his recovery battle.
“To be honest, I was fighting against those thoughts. The truth is that they came up here and there, especially in these difficult times of setbacks,” he said.
The midfielder first underwent surgery in February 2023 to repair the ligament damage, but his recovery journey became even more complicated a year later when he suffered another major setback just as he was close to returning. That complication forced him back under the knife, extending his spell on the sidelines.
Kyereh described the recovery process as mentally exhausting, with repeated interruptions to his progress.
“I was going two steps ahead and one back. There were definitely times when it came to my mind, but I was not allowing such thoughts to stay for more than a few seconds,” he added.
The 30-year-old has since made a gradual return to action, featuring in five matches for SC Freiburg’s reserve side after returning to full fitness in April 2026. He had only resumed partial team training in late 2025 before progressing to full training in January 2026.
