Abdul Fatawu: Ghana Star Who Turned Down AFCON Invitation Receives Red Card With Leicester City

• Abdul Fatawu reportedly turned down an invitation to play for Ghana at 2023 AFCON
• The Leicester City winger saw red in the Foxes 3-1 defeat to Coventry City, the day AFCON kicked off
• He is set to miss nearly a month of action following the red card

Every African footballer dreams of representing their country at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Others, like Ghana's Abdul Fatawu, seem to prefer club football over AFCON.

The Leicester City winger received a straight red card in their 1-3 loss to Coventry City and is set to miss nearly a month of action.

The teenager, who is on loan from Sporting, saw red following a reckless tackle on Coventry's Jake Bidwell towards the end of the first half, per Leicester Mercury.

The challenge came minutes after the 2016 Premier League champions converted a penalty.

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Barring any appeal, the winger is set to get a three-game ban which means he will miss two league games and an FA Cup clash.

He won't play against Ipswich on January 22, an FA Cup clash on the weekend of January 27 or 28 and a Championship match away at Stoke City on February 3. So, he will return against Watford on February 10th.

According to My Joy Online, Fatawu opted out of the Black Stars squad after holding talks with manager Chris Hughton.

The 2023 AFCON final is on February 11 so Fatawu could've suited up for the final with his country if they went that far. Fans have been calling out on social media after the red card. He has played 24 games for Leicester City this season and scored twice, per Transfermarkt.

Ghana land in Ivory Coast in style

Ghana stole the show when arriving in Ivory Coast last week. The Black Stars rocked colourful traditional kente attire as Sports Brief earlier reported.

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They were dressed in immaculate all-white kaftans; the 27 players and coaching staff added a touch of vibrancy with carefully woven and kente fabric draped over their attire, presenting a fusion of tradition and sophistication.

The Kente cloth stands as a powerful emblem of Ghanaian culture, renowned worldwide for its exquisite beauty, elaborate designs, and profound cultural importance.

AI predicts AFCON final

Sports Brief also previously reported on Opta's AI analysis, which considered several factors within its algorithm, predicting each nation's probability of winning AFCON.

The analysis assessed the teams' strengths, recent performances, potential matchups in the knockout stages, and the challenge level of a team's journey to the final stage.

According to the data, Senegal emerged with a calculated 21.7% chance of making it to the AFCON 2023 final. Ghana were given a 5.3% chance of winning the tournament.