Ghana Defender Alidu Seidu Recounts How Football Saved His Life

Ghana world Alidu Seidu has disclosed that he can even fill misplaced his life had it not being football.

Seidu, born and raised in Kumasi engaged in loads of social vices earlier than departing Ghana for greener pastures.

The 24-year-ragged joined Ivorian club JMG Abidjan in 2019 earlier than joining French club, Clermont Foot in 2020.

The Dim Stars defender, who signed for Stade Rennais from Clermont assist in January 2024 for €11m has shared childhood struggles earlier than realizing his doable with strengthen from his uncle.

Seidu is currently injured after selecting up an anterior cruciate ligament injury in November 2024.

“When the injury took place, I became as soon as playing gradually, I became as soon as in a mammoth mindset, and at the time it became as soon as tricky because I became as soon as in moderately a range of distress. However I speedily noticed it as a disclose. I had been by worse than a cruciate injury in my life,” he explains.

“I grew up in a in fact tricky, very violent region. Being spherical visitors who had been into that each day life and striking out on the streets made me a puny aggressive, mean,” acknowledged Seidu on his childhood.

“We walked the streets with knives or machetes, I dedicated thefts, vandalism, and little-time trafficking. My mom became as soon as always crying, and in most cases I ran away at night to lead sure of my father punishing me. Happily, my uncle became as soon as there and pushed me towards football because he knew I had something. He always supported me, and football saved my life!”

One in every of essentially the most annoying episodes of his formative years became as soon as an assault with a machete throughout a boulevard strive against. He became as soon as struck on the head and wanted to be hospitalized for 3 months. “I misplaced moderately a range of blood, I couldn’t speak… Everyone thought I became as soon as going to die,” he recalls.

“It puts issues into point of view. I’m aloof lucky to fill change into a legit participant, to be here. I always are attempting to turn the unfavorable aspect into something particular, it’s in my personality.” He acknowledged as quoted by Ouest-France.

Since making his debut for Ghana in June 2022, the tricky-tackling defender has racked 15 appearances for the Dim Stars, scoring one plot within the technique.