Mukarama Abdulai burst onto the football scene with a dazzling display at the 2018 U-17 Women’s World Cup, where she clinched both the bronze ball and the golden boot after scoring seven goals including a hat-trick against the hosts Uruguay solidifying her status as a rising star.
She became Ghana’s all-time top scorer in FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup history and was also nominated for the African Women’s Player of the Year award.
A feat that got her a move to Spain with Deportivo Alaves. That big move at the age of 18 seemed to signal a bright future. Prior to that she had just completed her college education with American University, Tyler Junior College, where she helped them win the national state championship.
All looked set for the prolific attacker to become a sensational player but a sudden turn of fortunes saw a blip in her form and had to stay out of most of the games her team played.
Despite early success, her career took an unexpected turn as she faced challenges that threatened to derail her promising trajectory. The striker the world saw at the U17 Women’s World Cup became out of favour.
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Yet, amidst the turmoil, Mukarama remained steadfast in her resolve. The 2023 African Games provided her with a platform for redemption, albeit with its own share of challenges. Despite facing scrutiny and skepticism from fans, she rose above the negativity and delivered a performance that silenced her critics.
Even after getting on the scoresheet, the former golden boot winner was subjected to boos by her own fans at the stadium. An incident that even propelled the President of the Ghana Football Association Kurt Okraku to release a statement condemning the practice. Fans were frustrated with her performances in the games she played, a practice that hammered on how bad she had become in the last few years.
The Black Princesses striker however carried all in good faith as she went on to put out a performance that got her an ovation on all corners of the Cape Coast stadium against Senegal. This certainly boosted her morale as she set herself up for the final against Nigeria on Thursday.
From being unfortunately booed in Ghana's first game to becoming the heroine on the night for the Black Princesses, Abdulai Mukarama must be a happy person tonight. Well done to the girls and Yusif Basigi led technical team for winning GOLD. 🥇 pic.twitter.com/dKSePtX6HS
— Juliet Bawuah (@julietbawuah) March 21, 2024
In a crucial match where victory was imperative for the Black Princesses, it was the outcast who shone brightest. Her exceptional strike proved decisive in securing the gold medal for the team.
🇬🇭Mukarama Abdulai scores a potential winner for the Black Princesses!!
What a finish!
🇬🇭 2:1 🇳🇬 pic.twitter.com/UJpoqRzz1q
— George Addo Jnr (@addojunr) March 21, 2024
If Mukarama needed a time to remind the world that she’s still capable of reaching stardom, then Thursday was the perfect time. Overall, her performance at this tournament is exactly what the 20-year-old needed to resurrect her career.
While her journey may have had its ups and downs, Mukarama’s performance at the 2023 African Games signals a resurgence—a reaffirmation of her potential to reclaim her status as a star in the world of football. As she continues on her path to stardom, one thing remains clear: Mukarama Abdulai’s story is far from over.
Despite her youth, she is poised to fulfill the star potential that was once forecasted for her, and her recent performances have demonstrated that she is steadily progressing toward that goal.
Mukarama’s ability to shrug off the criticism and lead her team to victory illustrates her unwavering determination to steer her career in the right direction. While her journey may take time, her standout performances at the 2023 African Games indicate that she possesses considerable talent and has much more to offer in the future.
By Frank-Kamal Acheampong|3Sports|Ghana