EXCLUSIVE: Alidu Seidu on his journey to the top and the importance of his mother

The image of Seidu standing proudly beside his mother during his signing with Stade Rennais captured hearts and sparked conversations across social media platforms. 

This emotional moment, which remains pinned on his Instagram account, symbolizes not just a personal achievement, but the culmination of years of struggle, perseverance, and deep familial bonds. 

Alidu's journey to professional football is a testament to resilience. Growing up in a Zongo community in Ghana, he witnessed first-hand the sacrifices his mother made for their family.

“My mum suffered a lot. I saw her suffering a lot to get something for us to eat,” he recalled in an exclusive interview with Flahscore, reflecting on the challenges that shaped his career. 

Despite financial hardships, she encouraged him to pursue his dreams, often going as far as contacting coaches to ensure he could play even when there was no money. 

“My motivation is to put a smile on my mother’s face. She always fought for us to have what we need. Sometimes there is nothing to eat but when you see her putting so much effort to ensure we get something to eat I can’t forget that,” he added.

However, the path was fraught with obstacles. Alidu faced rejection multiple times while trying out for the JMG Academy which started operating in Ghana since 2008. “I went for trials five times at JMG Academy. First time I was told I am not good enough, same for the second, third, fourth trials.

“After the fourth try, I said to myself maybe I won’t become a professional player so I almost quit. Growing I wanted to be a soldier so I decided to join the army once the football wasn’t working,” he admitted.

It was only after encouragement from his uncle that he decided to give it one last shot - and finally succeeded on his fifth attempt.

Inspiration came from watching Ghanaian football legends like Andre Ayew, Asamoah Gyan, and Mubarak Wakaso who fueled his desire to represent his country. Yet, it was Sergio Ramos who became a pivotal influence on his playing style.

“I looked up to Ramos for his seriousness and leadership,” Alidu shared. His aggressive style on the pitch mirrors that of the Spanish defender, though it has occasionally led to disciplinary issues.

“Just like Ramos when I started playing at the professional level, I picked up a lot of yellow and red cards.”

However, the Ghanaian defender admits it’s one area he is steadily working on. 

“With time I am trying to reduce it and from last year I had less cards. I am trying to work on it and keep the aggression but reduce the cards.”

The statistics indicate that the defender is making significant progress. While he averaged 0.44 cards per 90 minutes at Clermont, that number has decreased to 0.36 cards per 90 minutes since joining Rennes.

Surprisingly, Alidu is yet to receive a yellow card in any of his seven encounters with Paris Saint-Germain. Each time he faced the reigning Ligue 1 champions, his aggression was tested, particularly against Kylian Mbappe, whom the Ghanaian admits is the toughest opponent he has encountered, smiling as he reflects on their battles.

“First match we (Clermont) lost 6-1 our first time playing PSG and he was very good. Anytime he gets the ball he just pushed it past me. Mbappe gave me a lot of tough times. Anytime I play with him we fight and insult each other. Sometimes he teases me to make me mad.”

The JMG academy graduate got his revenge on Mbappe in 2023 when Clermont Foot defeated Paris Saint-Germain 3-2 at Parc des Princes. After the match, Alidu appeared in a viral TikTok video, playfully sending a message to the French forward: “Clermont put in the work.”

He recounted how Mbappe had tried to provoke him during the game by saying, “When we started, Mbappé told me we are shit and he will kill us. He wanted to get into my head to throw me off my game. So after our victory, I made that video to show him that Clermont can also put in the work.”

Joining Stade Rennais marks a significant chapter in Alidu's career. He sees it as an opportunity for growth and development, inspired by previous players who have thrived at the club like Eduardo Camavinga and Jeremy Doku. 

“Coming to Rennes was a very big move for me. Rennes is a big team that can help me get to the next level. We have seen it from the likes of Eduardo Camavinga and Jeremy Doku. There are a lot of players who played here and are now at the big stage. I was very excited when I had an offer from Rennes. I didn’t hesitate for one second.”

Alidu is part of a rich lineage of Ghanaian talent who plied their trade Rennes, following in the footsteps of notable players such as Asamoah Gyan, John Mensah, John Boye, and Kamaldeen Sulemana. This legacy played a crucial role in his decision to join the club.

“Before coming here I called Kamaldeen Suleman. He told me Rennes is a very big team and they will help me develop my technique and tactics and they can help me get to the next stage. It’s a privilege to be here and I just have to work hard.”

As Rennes navigates a challenging start to the season, Alidu is focused on adapting and improving. He acknowledges that while they haven't hit their stride yet, there is potential within the squad:

“As a team, we have an ambition to play in Europe. We are building the team and trying to correct a few things. I think in a few weeks or months when the team starts to get the connection we will be good enough to face any team.”

Since making his debut for Ghana on June 10, 2022, against Japan, the defender has earned 17 caps, each one filling him with a profound sense of honour. 

"Putting on the Ghana shirt is very huge and very heavy because to be a professional player, we all want to play for our motherland. I got the opportunity to play for Ghana, and it is a big honour for me. I have to continue playing and serve my country because playing in the national team is very emotional."

The emotional weight of representing his country becomes even more evident when he hears the national anthem before a match. "When I just raise my head, I see my parents, so when the national anthem is playing, it is amazing and comes with a lot of emotions," he added.

In September 2024, Alidu scored his first-ever international goal against Niger during the 2025 AFCON qualifiers. Although the match ended in disappointment for Ghana, with a 1-1 draw, scoring brought him joy.

 “The first time I shot, Otto Addo told me the goalkeeper wasn’t comfortable with shots. So when I got the ball again and realized I had space, I tried to score. In the end, we didn’t get the result, but scoring made me happy.”

Despite this milestone, Alidu's celebration was muted: “We didn’t start well against Niger. We lost a lot of balls. When I scored, I wasn’t too happy because I know we could do better. Playing in Africa means that scoring one is never enough. If it had been the second goal I had scored, I would have celebrated more; but it was 1-0, and I was already thinking about us getting the second.”

The Rennes defender believes this is the first of many more goals to come as he awaits his first-ever club goal.

“I was very happy when I scored (against PSG) but immediately the ball touched my hand I thought VAR will refuse the goal. I am a defender but nowadays defenders score a lot so my objective is to score for Rennes and myself. I only scored in the academy. In my professional career, I’ve never scored for my club so I am looking to do that.”

Looking ahead, Ghana faces Sudan in their next AFCON qualifier, and the 24-year-old remains optimistic despite recent struggles that have seen the team secure just one point from two matches - their worst start to an AFCON qualifying campaign since 1961. 

“Now there’s Sudan coming. Playing 1-1 against Niger will serve as a lesson for us. We are going to give everything to beat Sudan home and away.” 

As he reflects on his journey thus far, Alidu opts to share words of wisdom for young players aspiring to follow in his footsteps: “All I can say to upcoming players is for them to keep their passion and work hard. They should listen to their coaches and seniors. Just keep going and pushing.”