Soccer player Abdul Fatawu rejected the invitation of the Ghana National Team in order to maintain his position with Leicester City.
Ironically, as he rejected Ghana’s selection for AFCON 2024, the player received a red card on Saturday and, therefore, will be suspended from playing the next three matches until Feb 10. Whereas the AFCON Cup ends on Feb 11.
The Leicester City winger received a straight red card in its 1-3 loss to Coventry City and is set to miss nearly a month of AFCON games.
The teen player is also on loan from sporting and saw a red card following a reckless fight with Coventry’s Jake Bidwell towards the end of the first half, per Leicester Mercury.
Barring any appeal, the winger will miss two league games and one FA Cup clash. He won’t be able to play against Ipswich on Jan 22, an FA Cup Clash on the weekend of Jan 27 or 28 and a Championship match away at Stoke City on Feb 3. So, he will return against Watford on Feb 10.
As per the sources, Fatawu opted out of the Black Stars squad after holding talks with manager Chris Hughton.
The 2024 AFCON final is on Feb 11 so Fatawu could have suited up for the final with his country if they went that far. Fans are calling out on social media after the issue of the red card.
A social media user with the user name Impact Linjo expressed, “Oh, what a shame! This highlights the importance of considering all factors and potential consequences before making such decisions. It remains to be seen how this will impact both his future with Leicester and his relationship with the Ghanaian national team. We pray for a positive outcome for him in the days ahead! Wisdom demands!”
Another fan of Fatawu commented, “After this session, watch out what becomes of his career. These are signs of greatness.”
Lawrence Akuchu wrote, “In Africa, we believe in ancestral blessings. Next time, he will humble himself.”
Another person with the username Umbro Umbro commented, “The gods of the land are against his decision, and I think from this experience, he shall learn to respect Africa.”