I almost retired from football - Ghana midfielder Kofi Kyereh after recovering long-term injury

Ghana midfielder Daniel-Kofi Kyereh has admitted he came close to walking away from football during his prolonged recovery from injury, describing the period as one of the most difficult phases of his career.

The 30-year-old has endured nearly three years on the sidelines after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury in 2022, a setback that has repeatedly stalled his comeback attempts.

Speaking to Joy Sports, Kyereh opened up on the mental strain that accompanied his recovery, revealing that retirement briefly crossed his mind during the toughest moments.

"To be honest, I was fighting against those thoughts (of retirement). The truth is that they came up here and there. Especially in these difficult times of setbacks."

Kyereh first underwent surgery in February 2023 to repair the ligament damage. However, just as he edged closer to a return a year later, he suffered another setback that required a second operation.

The complications kept him out for an extended period, with the midfielder only returning to partial team training in late 2025 before resuming full training in January 2026.

"I was going two steps ahead and one back. Yeah, there were definitely times when it came to my mind, but to be honest, I was not allowing such thoughts beyond a few seconds."

After a long road to recovery, Kyereh has now returned to action, making five appearances for Freiburg’s reserve side since regaining full fitness in April 2026.