Mohammed Salisu sustains serious ACL injury, set to miss 2026 World Cup
Ghana’s World Cup hopes have suffered a major setback following news that defender Mohamed Salisu could miss the 2026 tournament after sustaining a serious knee injury.
The injury is expected to rule the AS Monaco centre-back out for the remainder of the season, casting serious doubt over his availability for the Black Stars in the long term.
Salisu was injured during Monaco’s 3–1 home defeat to Olympique Lyonnais at the Stade Louis II on Saturday, January 3.
The Ligue 1 club confirmed on Monday that the 25-year-old had suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, the second such setback the club has endured in successive matches.
Before the injury, Salisu had cemented his place as a regular starter, stepping in impressively during the absence of Soungoutou Magassa Mawissa and veteran defender Eric Dier.
His commanding performances brought much-needed stability to Monaco’s defence and highlighted his growing influence at the club.
The potential loss of Salisu would be a significant blow for Ghana. A key figure for the four-time Africa Cup of Nations champions, he has formed a dependable partnership with Alexander Djiku at the heart of the Black Stars’ defence.
Beyond his defensive duties, Salisu has also contributed at the other end of the pitch, most notably scoring in Ghana’s memorable victory over South Korea at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.