Iconic former midfielder for the Black Stars, Michael Essien has opened up about the injury challenges he faced throughout his football career and how they influenced his journey.

He revealed that most of his serious injuries happened while playing for Ghana's national team, which had a significant effect on his career path.

Despite these setbacks, the ex-Chelsea star expressed no regrets about his time representing the national side.

In a recent interview with Fentuo Tahiru Fentuo from JoyNews, Essien acknowledged that injuries were a tough aspect of his career, but he remains untroubled by them.

“Most of my bad injuries happened when I was playing for the Black Stars, but I don’t hold any grudges. I was just unlucky,” he said, as reported by JoySports on X.

Essien earned his UEFA Licence A in 2023 and is now an assistant manager at Nordsjaelland FC in Denmark.

At 42, he has been with Nordsjaelland since 2020, where he has been gaining valuable experience while completing his coaching qualifications.

In March 2024, he was a candidate for the head coach position of the Black Stars, but the Ghana Football Association ultimately opted for Otto Addo instead.

Essien retired from professional football in 2020, two years after stepping back from international play.

He had an illustrious career with renowned European clubs including Lyon, Chelsea, Real Madrid, and AC Milan.

His time at Chelsea was particularly notable, as he became a club legend during his nine-year stay.