Ibrahim Sulemana (footballer, born 2003)

Ibrahim Sulemana

Personal information
Full name	Ibrahim Sulemana Kakari
Date of birth	(2003-05-22) 22 May 2003 (age 21)
Place of birth	Sunyani, Ghana
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s)	Defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team	Atalanta
Number	6
Youth career
2018–2019	Sunyani
2019–2021	Atalanta
2021–2022	Hellas Verona
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2022–2023	Hellas Verona	17	(0)
2023–2024	Cagliari	21	(2)
2024–	Atalanta	3	(0)
International career‡
2024–	Ghana	5	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20 October 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 18 November 2024

Ibrahim Sulemana Kakari (born 22 May 2003) is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Serie A club Atalanta and the Ghana national team.

Early life

Hailing from Brong Ahafo in southwestern Ghana, Ibrahim Sulemana started football in his home town of Sunyani. It is also in this city that he was spotted by the Ghanaian player agent, Oliver Artur, who came to organize a day of detection in the region. Selected among several other players, he was invited to a test stay in Italy in the summer of 2019. Enough to catch the eye of Atalanta recruiters, who included him in their U17 group. Sulemana stayed there for two years, the time to participate in several national tournaments, before injuring his face following a bad blow received in a match. Not retained by Atalanta, he finally signed with Hellas Verona in the summer of 2021. The club covered his medical expenses, including his facial surgery, and also allowed him to start with the Primavera. He signed his first professional contract at Hellas on 1 July 2022.

Club career

Sulemana started his career with Serie A side Verona. ^{[1] [2] [3]} On 9 October 2022, he debuted for Verona during a 2–1 loss to Salernitana. ^[4]

On 1 July 2023, Sulemana signed a four-year contract with Cagliari, ^[5] and transferred north to Serie A club Atalanta BC on 17 July 2024. ^[6]

International career

Sulemana made his debut for the Ghana national team on 6 June 2024 in a World Cup qualifier against Mali at the Stade du 26 Mars. He substituted Salis Abdul Samed in the 88th minute, as Ghana scored in added time for a 2–1 victory. ^[7]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 20 October 2024 ^[8]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			Coppa Italia		Europe		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Hellas Verona	2022–23	Serie A	17	0	—		—		—		17	0
Cagliari	2023–24	Serie A	21	2	3	0	—		—		24	2
Atalanta	2024–25	Serie A	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
Career total			41	2	3	0	0	0	0	0	44	2

International

As of match played 18 November 2024 ^[9]

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Ghana	2024	5	0
Total		5	0

References

1. "Ibrahim Sulemana: The New Rising Star". kickgh.com. Archived from the original on 25 October 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
2. "Sulemana è pronto: l'Hellas Verona ci crede". Archived from the original on 25 October 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
3. "che bravo Sulemana. Bragantini e Terracciano ci sono". 10 July 2022.
4. "Ghanaian teen Ibrahim Suleman reacts to Serie A debut". ghanasoccernet.com.
5. "Sulemana è del Cagliari" [Sulemana is at Cagliari] (Press release) (in Italian). Cagliari. 1 July 2023. Archived from the original on 1 July 2023. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
6. "Nuovo innesto a centrocampo: Sulemana è nerazzurro" (Press release) (in Italian). Atalanta. 17 July 2024. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
7. "Mali v Ghana game report". ESPN. 6 June 2024.
8. "Ibrahim Sulemana Kakari". Soccerway.
9. Ibrahim Sulemana at National-Football-Teams.com

External links

• Ibrahim Sulemana at Soccerway