Ghana defender Alidu Seidu credits Stade Rennais teammates after smooth ACL recovery

Ghanaian defender Alidu Seidu has reflected on the difficult journey he endured while recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury that kept him out for much of last season.

The Rennes centre-back, who is also capable of playing at right-back, described the rehabilitation process as one of the most mentally demanding experiences of his career.

“The ACL process is very difficult and it’s all in the head, your mentality, how you cope with the injury,” he told Flashscore in an interview facilitated by Ligue 1.

Seidu underwent surgery after sustaining the injury and missed 24 matches for the French club, spending nearly 250 days on the sidelines. His last appearance for the Black Stars came in November 2024, during the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Angola.

The 24-year-old credited the unwavering support of his teammates, technical staff, family, and fans for helping him through the recovery period.

“With the support of my teammates, the staff, my family and the fans, they gave me the energy to work harder. That made the rehab very smooth,” he said.

Now fully cleared to play, Seidu has gradually reintegrated into the squad, featuring in four matches this season — three with Rennes’ first team and one with the B team — as the club continues to monitor his workload to prevent any setbacks.

Reflecting on the toughest stage of his recovery, Seidu admitted the physical toll was immense.

“When you get ACL, you lose everything, your thighs become skinny. The toughest period was the gym and cardio, but I knew this was the process I had to pass through to be back.”

Meanwhile, Alidu has been named in Ghana’s squad for the final round of games against Central African Republic and Comoros in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.