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	Cagliari
Number	25
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–	Cagliari	21	(2)
International career‡
2024–	Ghana	1	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 9 June 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 6 June 2024

Ibrahim Sulemana Kakari (born 22 May 2003) is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Italian Serie A club Cagliari 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 Italian 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]

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. ^[6]

Career statistics

As of match played 1 April 2024 ^[7]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National cup		Continental		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	14	2	3	0	—		—		17	2
Career total			31	2	3	0	—		—		34	2

References

1. "Ibrahim Sulemana: The New Rising Star". kickgh.com.
2. "Sulemana è pronto: l'Hellas Verona ci crede".
3. "che bravo Sulemana. Bragantini e Terracciano ci sono".
4. "Ghanaian teen Ibrahim Suleman reacts to Serie A debut". ghanasoccernet.com.
5. "Sulemana è del Cagliari" [Sulemana is at Cagliari] (in Italian). Cagliari. 1 July 2023. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
6. "Mali v Ghana game report". ESPN. 6 June 2024.
7. "Ibrahim Sulemana Kakari".

External links

• Ibrahim Sulemana at Soccerway