Feyenoord star shines in Sweden
From Feyenoord Academy through Feyenoord Rotterdam to Atvidabergs FF in Sweden, combative midfielder Mohammed Abubakari has grown into a big game player who is ready for greater challenges.
Advertisement
After a botched World Cup appearance in 2006 through injury, the 27-year-old gem believes he has gained enough experience in Europe to earn him a place among the greats at the Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup parade next June.
"I have learnt a lot in the game from Coach Sam Arday and that makes me different from the others. I was born a footballer so I can fit into any team, especially with the rich experience gained so far in my career,” the former rasta-haired player revealed in an interview with the Graphic Sports yesterday.
"I was invited by Serbian coach Ratomir Dujkovic for a pre-World Cup friendly against Bayern Leverkusen in 2006 but I unfortunately got injured at the last minute. Before then I played for the Black Meteors under Coach Jones Attuquayefio alongside Bernard Kumordzi and others,” he recalled.
Since joining Feyenoord Academy’s parent club, Feyenoord Rotterdam in Holland in 2004, Abubakari has known no turning back in his blossoming career which has seen him feature for five Greek clubs over a five-year period.
His steady progress, intertwined with some modest achievements in his own right, continued after a loan move from Feyenoord Rotterdam to Panserraikos and later Paok Thessaloniki, Larissa, Levadiakos and Dramas (Doxa).
He described the season just gone by as a fantastic one which saw him playing 20 games for Atvidaberg which finished eighth in the Swedish top flight.
“It was a fantastic season for me. It’s a small club but it’s been good and they like me so much. My contract ends in November 2014 but some German clubs, including Freiburg, have already expressed interest in me.”
From a humble beginning with Kumasi-based Corners Babies colts club at age 13, Abubakari has come a long way, and believes Ghana has many good talents in the European leagues who can be recruited to enhance Ghana’s chances in Brazil.
“We have a brighter chance than before to excel at the World Cup, but we have to focus on all the leagues in Europe so we can get the best players to represent Ghana in Brazil,” he stressed.