Ex-Ghana shot-stopper Fatau Dauda debunks allegations of black magic in his career

Former Ghana goalkeeper and current goalkeepers’ coach of the Sudan national team Fatau Dauda, has opened up about the challenges football players face, particularly when committed to prayers.

Dauda addressed longstanding accusations of leveraging black magic, debunking such claims and emphasising the importance of faith and training in a player’s success.

Throughout his career, Dauda faced allegations, including the supposed use of juju (black magic) to secure a spot over Adam Kwarasey during and after the 2014 World Cup. However, he refuted these claims, stating that being strong in prayers doesn’t equate to using negative spiritual practices.

“You know something? If you are strong in prayers and people are trying to get you, they’ll tell you that you’re a devil,” Dauda shared in an interview with Joy News. He highlighted the irony that people often label individuals who are committed to prayers as negative spiritual figures when attempts to bring them down prove futile.

Dauda emphasised the importance of training and learning the basics to perform well in football. He dismissed the notion that relying solely on prayers without adequate training can lead to success on the field.

“I can never pray to God to let me perform. If I sit down and I don’t train, how do I perform? You need to train, you need to learn the basics and go and perform,” Dauda asserted.