Abdul Mumin reflects on journey from Sawaba streets to Girona

New Girona defender Abdul Mumin has reflected on his football journey, recalling how his passion for the game was nurtured on the streets of Sawaba in Kumasi.

Speaking to Citi sports, Mumin described his childhood environment as a place where football was central to everyday life, with him and his friends spending hours playing on the streets after school.

“I come from a small place in Kumasi in Ghana called Sawaba. It’s like the ‘ghetto’ and we used to play a lot on the streets," he said.

He said football was so important to them that they would head straight to the park after school without even changing their clothes.

“After school you run straight to the park to play. You don’t even change your clothes.” Looking back, he said those moments remain some of his greatest memories and still feel very recent despite how much his career has developed.

“So I have great, great memories. And for me to even think about it now, it feels like it was yesterday, you know, because time moves very fast”he added.

Mumin believes his entire life has revolved around football, a sport he says he has dedicated himself to completely.

“My whole life has been about football until now, and hopefully it continues for a couple of more years.”

“It’s what I really enjoy doing. I think I’ve really dedicated my life to football.”

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His journey eventually took him beyond Ghana, as he moved to Europe and continued his development in academy football.

“I moved to Europe. I played in the academy when I was younger, so we travelled a lot.”

Mumin explained that his exposure to European football at a young age helped him adjust when he eventually signed his first professional contract in Denmark.

"When I got my first professional contract in Denmark, I wasn’t surprised by the environment of Europe because I was travelling a lot before I signed.”

However, his first trip to Europe still came with one memorable surprise.

“My first travel from Ghana to Europe was to Manchester, I think. And the first surprise was the same, the weather. It was very cold.”

From playing barefoot or in school clothes on the streets of Sawaba to establishing himself in European professional football, Mumin's journey highlights the impact of grassroots football in shaping young Ghanaian talents.

🎥 🇬🇭 “I come from a small place in Kumasi in Ghana called Sawaba. It’s like the “ghetto” and we used to play a lot on the streets.”

New Girona defender Abdul Mumin recounts how his football journey started.#CitiSports pic.twitter.com/qb4vabldun

— Citi Sports (@CitiSportsGHA) August 18, 2026