Ghana rocked as Alexander Djiku World Cup dream ends in injury setback

Ghana’s World Cup preparations have been dealt another significant setback after defender Alexander Djiku was ruled out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, deepening concerns over the squad’s defensive stability.

The decision was confirmed by head coach Carlos Queiroz during a press briefing in Cardiff, where the Black Stars are preparing for their friendly against Wales.

The experienced centre-back, who plays for Spartak Moscow, arrived at camp carrying an injury picked up during the Russian Cup final against FC Krasnodar. Despite initial optimism within the Ghana camp, medical assessments ultimately confirmed he would not recover in time for the tournament in North America.

Djiku’s absence removes one of Ghana’s most dependable defensive figures at a crucial stage of preparation, with the final squad selection imminent and competitive fixtures fast approaching.

Queiroz forced into late defensive reshuffle

Speaking ahead of the Wales friendly, Queiroz admitted he had initially expected a more positive outcome regarding the defender’s fitness.

“I was very confident the message about Djiku’s injury would be positive, but the game sometimes has surprises and we had to make a decision to replace him. It doesn’t matter who was the player that I called, Djiku was replaced.

“Now we’re to the same group of centre-backs in camp. The names you know, you saw them today on the pitch. So we’re ready to take off,” he added.

The Portuguese coach now faces the challenge of reorganising his backline with limited time before Ghana finalise their 26-man squad. Djiku’s withdrawal also disrupts defensive partnerships that had been carefully built throughout the qualification cycle.

Derrick Luckassen handed opportunity

In response to the setback, Pafos FC defender Derrick Luckassen has been drafted into the squad as a direct replacement. The 30-year-old is no stranger to the Black Stars setup, having previously featured in international friendlies against Austria and Germany.

Luckassen enjoyed a strong season in Cyprus with Pafos FC, contributing significantly to both domestic success and their European campaign. He also made eight appearances in the UEFA Champions League, finding the net once in the competition.

A product of the AZ Alkmaar academy, Luckassen has built an extensive European career with spells at PSV, Hertha Berlin and Anderlecht. His versatility and experience across top leagues are expected to provide Ghana with immediate defensive depth at a critical moment.

His familiarity with the national team environment, though limited, is viewed as a practical solution given the urgency of the situation and the need for continuity in preparation.

Growing injury concerns for Ghana

Djiku’s withdrawal adds to an increasingly worrying injury list for Ghana ahead of the tournament. The squad has already been forced to plan without key attackers and defenders, including Mohammed Kudus, who was ruled out months ago after undergoing surgery on a quad injury, and Mohammed Salisu, who is sidelined after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament rupture.

These absences represent a major blow to Ghana’s ambitions, stripping the squad of proven quality and international experience ahead of a challenging Group L campaign that includes fixtures against England, Panama and Croatia.

With the final squad submission deadline set for June 1 and the friendly against Wales scheduled for June 2, Queiroz’s planning phase is now under intense pressure.

Attention will now turn to how quickly Luckassen can integrate into the system as Ghana aim to stabilise their preparations before opening their World Cup campaign against Panama in Toronto on June 17.