KANSAS CITY -- Once the bright young thing of the Ghana setup, Abdul Rahman Baba's career trajectory was transformed by a devastating injury suffered in 2017, but now back in the Black Stars fold, he's relishing the role of elder statesman with the national side.
The leftback had once appeared primed to be a regular for Ghana for the best part of a decade, and while he's still amassed over a half-century of international appearances, that severe knee injury sustained during the Africa Cup of Nations over nine years ago doubtless denied him his peak years for the Black Stars.
Twisting on a terrible playing surface in Franceville, during Ghana's AFCON 2017 opener against Uganda, Baba was diagnosed with a severe rupture of his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), as well as meniscus damage.