Ghanaian teenage midfielder Araphat Mohammed is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering a serious knee injury during a pre-season friendly for Danish club FC Nordsjaelland.
The 19-year-old sustained an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury in a match against AC Horsens on Saturday, 28 June. He had come on as a substitute late in the game before an awkward challenge left him in visible pain and unable to continue.
Club officials have since confirmed the extent of the injury, which is expected to keep the young talent out of action for much of the 2025/26 season.
Araphat, a product of Ghana’s renowned Right to Dream Academy, had been steadily integrating into the Nordsjaelland first team after signing last year. He made six senior appearances in his debut campaign and was part of the club’s pre-season plans in preparation for a summer training camp in Austria, a trip he will now miss.
“We are very sorry about Araphat,” said Nordsjaelland’s football director Alexander Riget. “He had come back well after the summer break and was well underway with the pre-season, and then it’s just hard when the accident hits that way.”
“But of course, we will do everything we can to get him back as strongly and as quickly as possible.”
The injury is a devastating setback for the promising midfielder, who had been tipped for a breakthrough year. ACL injuries often require surgery and a recovery period of six to nine months, meaning Araphat is unlikely to return before the end of the year.
For now, Araphat’s focus shifts from the pitch to rehabilitation with hopes that this pause in his journey will only be temporary, and that he’ll return stronger in the months ahead.