Rennes defender Alidou Seidou has given an interview to Ouest-France in which he talks about his struggles after a serious injury to the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
Seidou, who joined Rennes from Clermont in January 2024 for €11 million, admitted that the injury was a tough test. However, he has learned to embrace such challenges, having faced much worse in his life.
“When it happened, I was playing regularly, I was in great shape, so it was difficult at first because the pain was intense. But I quickly took it as a challenge. I've been through worse things in my life than a torn ACL,” Seidou says.
The player grew up in a dangerous area of Kumasi, near Ghana's capital, Accra. His childhood was full of violence and danger.
“I grew up in a violent environment. I had friends around me who lived that lifestyle, and it made me aggressive, tough.
We walked the streets with knives or machetes, I committed thefts, vandalism, and small illegal businesses. My mother cried all the time, and I sometimes ran away from home at night to avoid punishment from my father. Luckily, I had an uncle who saw potential in me and pushed me towards football. He always supported me, and football saved my life,” says Seidou.
One of the most horrific moments of his youth was when he was attacked in a street fight with a machete and smashed in the head, leaving him in hospital for three months.
“I lost a lot of blood, I couldn't speak… Everyone thought I was going to die. It makes you rethink a lot of things. I still consider myself lucky to have become a professional player and to be here. I always try to turn negative into positive – it's in my character,” Seidou said.
Let us add that this season the defender managed to play in 11 matches for Rennes in all tournaments.
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