Figures: Why Mukarama Abdulai deserves CAF Women's Footballer of Year award

Born in Tamale in October 2002,the former Northern School of Business striker and current captain of the under 17 Women’s team Abdulai Mukurama has been one of the Revelations of Women’s Football in 2018.

There is a school of thought that holds the opinion that, had this young girl been a part of the Black Queen Team that faced Africa on home soil in the last AWCON, it could have been better competition for Ghana.

Last season, Abdulai scored 7 goals for Ghanian side, Northern Ladies. She scored 7 league goals including a brace against Kumasi Sports Academy in week 3 and 4 goals against Fabulous Ladies in week 5 and the other goal against Ashtown Ladies in week 7 of the Northern Sector Freshpak National Women’s League.

For the Under 17 Women’s team of Ghana she scored 19 goals this calendar year. That is 12 goals in the World cup Qualifiers and 7 under 17 World cup goals.

In the qualifiers, she scored 7 goals in two games against Djibouti in a 19 nil aggregate win for Ghana and 5 goals against Gambia in a 7-1 aggregate win.

She return from the world cup with the top scorer award and the Bronze ball.Abdulai’s 7 goals at the last world cup,made her the all time top scorer of the Under 17 world with 7 goals.

The other side of the football Star

She is one of nine children from same parents.Mukarama is the 9th born of her parents. Six of the children are male and all footballers.

However, the most successful player in their family played in Ghana’s second tier (Division One), Real Tamale United.Her Dad was a football fan and a die hard supporter of RTU Football club, he never played football.

Mukarama at a young age joined the Northern Ladies FC as a primary pupil. She has being with the club for close to ten years.She was the leading scorer in the Freshpak Women’s league organised in Ghana as you already know before Ana’s famous number #12.

In the last 2 seasons, she has been the face of the Northern Ladies side through her discipline code,thus reporting to training and camp call on time and performance wise.She has a personal trainer aside trainings with the team.

She is a Senior high school graduate now in the University of Development Studies(UDS) Tamale Campus. She earned admission to University of Cape Cape(UCC) but preferred UDS.The 16-year old is in her level 100, studying Education as a program.

With 26 goals scored(19 for Country and 7 for club) after the period of the nominations for the 2017 Awards, Abdulai is a serious contender at 16.

Next Nominees on the limelight include;Cameroon and CSKA Moscow forward, Gabrielle Aboudi Onguene, Cameroon and Alan United Midfielder,Raissa Feudjio and Mali Forward,Bassira Toure.

Asissat Oshoala of Nigeria is the current Women’s Africa footballer of the year and a win for her in 2018 will make her the first Woman in the history of the award to win 3 editions in a row.

-sportsnewsgh.com