Dunfermline Athletic’s rising centre-back Nurudeen Abdulai has his eyes firmly fixed on a dream call-up to represent Ghana at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, believing that a strong run of form in Scotland could earn him a place in Otto Addo’s final squad.
Since arriving from Medeama SC in early September, the Ghanaian defender has steadily forced his way into the Scottish Championship side’s setup. After patiently waiting five weeks for his debut, Abdulai finally seized his opportunity against Queen’s Park on October 4, turning in a commanding performance that marked the start of his impressive spell in the team.
Our latest signing, Nurudeen Abdulai, has arrived at KDM Group East End Park 👋
He will wear the number 1️⃣8️⃣ shirt. pic.twitter.com/yj5RBlurAA
— Dunfermline Athletic (@officialdafc) September 8, 2025
The 23-year-old has since become a reliable figure in Dunfermline’s backline, helping the team record three clean sheets in quick succession, a run that has not gone unnoticed by observers back home.
“Playing for Dunfermline is a big platform for me. My country can always call me at any time. Once I am here I need to improve more, so that I can get called up for the World Cup,” Abdulai told the club’s official website.
His ambition is backed by belief that the Ghanaian technical handlers are aware of his progress in Europe.
“The national manager knows I am still here because in Ghana they watch a lot of Spanish football, a lot of English football, and they also watch Scottish as well,” he explained. “When I was in Ghana I was watching Scottish football, so they know I am here, and they know I am in a good team too. I know people watched me in last Friday night’s game, as I had a lot of messages.”
Hear from defender, Nurudeen Abdulai, after he joined the club last week.
— Dunfermline Athletic (@officialdafc) September 11, 2025
Abdulai, who was part of Ghana’s squad during the World Cup qualifiers but did not make an appearance, says the Black Stars’ qualification has reignited his determination to keep improving.
“I am very happy that my country has qualified for the World Cup, and it is a big thing for me,” he said with visible pride. “And when I perform well here, I think I will get a call-up to the World Cup. It has brought me a lot of motivation to perform well here and when I perform well here I will get a call-up from my national team.”
For Abdulai, every commanding tackle and every clean sheet at Dunfermline now feels like another step toward his World Cup dream, a dream that might just become reality if his current trajectory continues.
