The estranged father of Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien caused the injury that has ruled the star out of the World Cup by putting a curse on him, Ghanian fans have claimed.
The Ghanaian captain was left out of the national squad last week after he failed to recover from a knee injury picked up in January.
Belief in witchcraft is still common in the African nation, and fans believe James Essien used juju (bad luck spells) to prevent his son from playing in the World Cup.
Essien’s elderly father lives in a mud hut in rural Ghana and has been suffering health problems.
However, he has claimed not to have seen his millionaire son in 15 years and the footballer has ignored attempts to contact him.
Apparently this isn’t the first time the World Cup has been linked to African magic.
According to The South African Times, a traditional healer Thabang Khubeka has set up a stall in Johannesburg selling ’squirrel grease’, which increases speed when rubbed onto feet.
“A squirrel moves very fast. Like Wayne Rooney. To be like him, you need to use this oil,†Khubeka told the paper.
