Ghanaian midfielder Francis Abu is on the road to recovery after undergoing successful surgery in Japan, days after picking up a serious injury in the Black Stars’ friendly against the Blue Samurai.
In a post on X on Sunday, November 16, 2025, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) announced that the procedure went smoothly, and the player has already begun early rehabilitation.
The surgery took place at Toyota Memorial Hospital, overseen by Dr. Prince Pambo of the Black Stars medical team, who worked jointly with Toulouse FC’s medical unit and Japanese specialists.
The 24-year-old player sustained fractures to two bones following an awkward landing while trying to block a strike early in the second half. He was stretchered off as teammates showed visible shock at the severity of the incident.
To aid his recovery, the GFA has assigned one of its physiotherapists to remain in Japan with him, while arrangements have been made for an official to accompany Francis back to France when he is cleared to travel.
Francis, who moved to Toulouse this season after leaving Cercle Brugge, returned to the national team setup for the November window, having missed the September and October World Cup qualifiers. He is expected to spend an extended period on the sidelines due to the nature of the injury.
Japan won the friendly 2–0, with Ghana set to take on South Korea on November 18.
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🩺 Medical Update: Abu Francis 🚨
We are pleased to confirm that Abu Francis has successfully undergone surgery in Japan following his injury against Japan.
đź”— more on: https://t.co/F5q88ZGOGQ@AbuFrancis16 pic.twitter.com/BaCNFkYgjZ
— 🇬🇠Black Stars (@GhanaBlackstars) November 16, 2025