Why was Mohammed Kudus left out of Ghana's World Cup 2026 squad?
The Black Stars have announced their preliminary World Cup roster.
Mohammed Kudus, an attacking midfielder for Tottenham Hotspur, was left out of Ghana’s preliminary 28-man team by Carlos Queiroz. He will miss next month’s FIFA World Cup 2026 due to injury.
After sustaining a quad injury in January, Kudus—who has scored 13 goals in 46 international games—was anticipated to make a comeback in March. However, the attacker has not recovered in time and will miss the competition next month.
After joining from West Ham United during the 2025 summer, Mohammed Kudus has made 19 Premier League appearances for Spurs this season, scoring twice.
Also read: Ghana name provisional squad for FIFA World Cup 2026 ft. Antoine Semenyo
Mohammed Kudus left out of Ghana’s World Cup squad
After a quadriceps injury and accompanying rehabilitation setback ended his club season early, Mohammed Kudus, the attacking midfielder for Tottenham Hotspur and Ghana’s creative lifeblood for the previous four years, was left out.
It was anticipated that the 25-year-old would recuperate in time for the World Cup after initially sustaining the injury against Sunderland.
Tottenham subsequently disclosed that the Ghanaian international has encountered a setback during his recuperation that would necessitate surgery. His availability for the competition was seriously questioned when that information surfaced some months earlier. These anxieties have now been validated.
Queiroz’s attacking midfield is severely weakened by his absence. Kudus’s special combination of close control, dribbling skill, and goal threat from the edge of the box is unmatched by any other member of the team. He has been the focal point of Ghana’s attacking strategy for the past four years.
Queiroz now needs to reorganise his plans to accommodate a team that is suddenly lacking in creative genius. The question that will determine Ghana’s tournament run is whether the other players can cover that area.
Ghana have been placed in Group L alongside Croatia, England, and Panama.
Will Mohammed Kudus be at the World Cup?
He has sustained a quad injury. So, no.
For how long will he be sidelined?
He is expected to be sidelined beyond the World Cup.
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After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.