Mohammed Kudus’ Journey To The Top
Midfielders, as the name denotes, are the footballers who play in the middle of the field, right between the defenders at the back and the forwards at the front. In today’s game, midfielders have different roles. For instance, some midfielders play at the lower base of the midfield.
These are defensive midfielders, and their job is to support the defense while the other profile of the midfielders also involves initiating attacks as well as occasionally contributing with goals, and they are known as attacking midfielders.
The proper role of a midfielder wasn’t defined until the creation of the 4-4-2 formation in most football teams, as it is the most balanced football system.
This formation is what gave midfielders their defined role. The popularity of this formation allowed central midfielders to play in defense and attacking roles. This formation also includes flank players, which are left and right midfielders. They act as the support for the attacking front and defense.
Today, we take a look at one of Ghana’s shining lights from a position the West African nation has never run out of in terms of talent production with special emphasis on Ajax’s Mohammed Kudus.
The left-footed player was born on 2nd August 2000 in Ghana and has been working his way up through the ranks which kick-started from the Right to Dream Academy, and he is considered to be one of the brightest talents of his generation.
In 2018, he moved to Danish club Nordsjaelland on a free transfer, and he established himself as one of the best young players in the Danish Superliga.
In the ensuing season after his arrival 2019- 2020 season he scored 11 goals in 25 matches, as a result of his good performance at Nordsjaelland, most clubs in mainstream Europe showed strong interest in the prodigy.
The young fleet-footed attacker is blessed with plenty of vision and creativity. His ability to unlock defenders is just amazing. Kudus, who can be deployed as a wide midfielder, joined Ajax on a five-year deal from Danish side Nordsjaelland, most Ghanaians identified with this move considering the high profile nature of the deal.
On September 20 in the same season, Kudus made his official debut for the club in a league match against RKC Waalwijk and he was just super that day. After his first three appearances for Ajax, he scored one goal and assisted three goals.
On 21st October, the Ghanaian was poised to see their young sensation make his champions league debut against Liverpool but unfortunately for him, he was subbed after six minutes because of a meniscus injury. That was the first serious injury he has experienced.
“The fact that I then had to miss the entire group stage of the Champions League was the hardest part for me,” Kudus said in an interview with Algemeen Dagblad. “It was very difficult because as a little boy I dreamed of playing on this stage. Anyway, the switch had to be made and I had to focus on rehabilitation.”
“I’m still learning how my body works. Maybe I wanted it too soon. It was difficult because it was the first serious injury I experienced. For me, that was a completely new experience.”
His string of outstanding displays for the Amsterdam giants has seen him tagged as the next talisman for the Black Stars and has already been living up to that billing for the senior men’s national team. The thought process around his career is that he will be mentioned in the same breath as his compatriots Micheal Essien, Stephen Appaiah, Abedi Ayew Pele, et in the forthcoming years.
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He had a good time with the national team quite recently. The wide man can cover the ground for the entire 90 minutes and has the ability to pop up in the box to score a vital goal or make a saving challenge at the other end.
Kudus has been regarded as one of the most promising players in the world of football, he has a lot of qualities but what I like most is the chance he creates and his dribbling. There is no doubt in the fact that he can be deployed on the wing and as a shadow man.
His journey has been wonderful, from Nima, a suburb in the nation’s capital of Ghana to Denmark and now in one of Europe’s established football cathedrals in Ajax, is just amazing. He has really developed into a real deal and we will see a lot from him in the coming years, don’t be surprised to hear the name of the young Ghanaian in the African Best Players List sooner than later.
Mohammed Kudus is a future megastar who can be the player from the Ghanaian perspective alongside Rennes dribbling magician Kamaldeen Sulemana, challenging the likes of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for the future African Best Player Award. Undoubtedly, Kudus is certainly one for the future.
By: Gideon Amoah / @Laka993
Featured Image: @GabFoligno / BSR Agency / Getty Images