Former Black Starlets goalkeeper Ali Jarrah has expressed disappointment at the lack of recognition and support from the state despite his sacrifices and contributions to Ghana football, even after his career was cruelly cut short by paralysis.
Once touted as Ghana’s next great goalkeeper, Jarrah’s playing days ended at just 17 when a spinal injury left him paralysed from the waist down.
But instead of walking away from the game completely, he rebuilt his life around service, dedicating himself to training the next generation of players and uplifting people with disabilities through football.
In an interview on GhanaWebTV’s Sports Check with Frank-Kamal Acheampong, he revealed he feels deserted by the very nation he fought for.
Ali Jarra: The injury that stole a nation’s goalkeeping hope
“I have paid my dues for Mother Ghana. I sacrificed to achieve laurels for Mother Ghana. I opened up a goalkeeper’s academy for free. I’ve trained over 360 goalkeepers, which the nation has benefited from, and three or four goalkeepers have been to the World Cup,” he said.
Jarrah further explained that his contributions have gone far beyond mainstream football.
He revealed that he became heavily involved in disability sports, particularly amputee football, helping Ghana achieve remarkable success on the continental and global stage.
“Through my initiative, I’ve been with persons with disability. I’ve taken amputee football to three, four World Cups. We’ve won back-to-back amputee African tournaments. So, what wrong have I done?” he questioned.
For Jarrah, the pain is not just about the injury that ended his career, but the neglect that has followed.
Watch the full interview with Ali Jarrah below:
FKA/EB
