Asumah Abubakar
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Asumah Abubakar-Ankrah | ||
| Date of birth | 10 May 1997 | ||
| Place of birth | Kumasi, Ghana | ||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Corners Babies | |||
| 2015–2016 | Willem II | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2016–2018 | Willem II | 16 | (0) |
| 2018–2019 | MVV Maastricht | 27 | (0) |
| 2019–2021 | Kriens | 47 | (22) |
| 2021–2022 | Lugano | 37 | (5) |
| 2022–2024 | Luzern | 53 | (9) |
| 2024–2025 | Grasshoppers | 25 | (2) |
| 2025 | Brisbane Roar | 11 | (4) |
| 2025–2026 | Birkirkara | 7 | (4) |
| International career | |||
| 2016 | Portugal U19 | 2 | (1) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 16 October 2025 | |||
Asumah Abubakar-Ankrah (born 10 May 1997) is a footballer who last played as a forward for Maltese club Birkirkara. Born in Ghana, he is a youth international for Portugal.
Born in Kumasi, Ghana, Abubakar had a successful trial with Willem II in the summer of 2015, but he had to wait to the following year to sign a contract due to work permit problems. He eventually received a Portuguese passport as his father had been working in the nation for several years,[1][2] and on 2 March 2016 he committed to the Dutch club on a short-term deal.[3]
On 2 April 2016, whilst still a junior, Abubakar made his senior debut, coming on as a late substitute in a 2–3 Eredivisie home loss against FC Twente.[4] He transferred to MVV Maastricht for the 2018-2019 season on a free transfer.[5] After 27 appearances and another goalless season Abubakar transferred to Swiss club SC Kriens.[6] On 28 July 2019, he would score his first professional goal against FC Aarau after being subbed on in the 71st minute.[7] He ended the season third in the top scorer rankings.[6] In his second season, despite Kriens finishing mid-table, he again finished third in the scoring charts and won the Switzerland Challenge League Best Player Award.[8][9] Abubakar transferred to Swiss Super League club FC Lugano at the start of the 2021-2022 season for 100,000 Euros.[10] He scored his first goal for Lugano on his third appearance in a 1–1 draw with FC Basel.[11]
On 14 January 2022, Abubakar signed a contract with Luzern until 30 June 2024.[12]
On 29 January 2024, he transferred to Grasshoppers for an undisclosed fee.[13] He signed a one-and-a-half-year contract, running until summer 2025, and rejoins his former coach Bruno Berner, whom he had worked with at Kriens. He debuted two days later in a midweek league match against his former club FC Lugano, coming on for the final 30 minutes of the 0–0 draw.[14] After bringing some much needed offensive power in his debut, he was nominated to the starting lineup for the next two games. However, in the second, a Zürich Derby match, he was sent off after pushing over FC Zürich midfielder Bledian Krasniqi during a confrontation after only twelve minutes played.[15] This was his first career sending off. He finally scored his first goal in the Grasshopper dress on 4 May 2024, scoring the team's first goal in 3–2 home win over FC Stade Lausanne Ouchy.[16] In the same game he also scored two disallowed goals from offside positions. On 31 May 2024, he scored the all-important winning goal in the 91st minute in the second leg of the relegation play-off against FC Thun, thus securing Grasshoppers's place in the Swiss Super League[17]
Despite this heroic feat, he barely featured for the club in his second season, making just seven appearances and one start during the first half of the season. On 7 January 2025, his contract with Grasshoppers was terminated by mutual consent.[18]
On 12 February 2025, he signed for Brisbane Roar in the Australian A-League.[19] On 25 June 2025, Brisbane Roar announced that Abubakar would be departing the club after rejecting a new contract.[20]
In October 2025, Abubakar joined Maltanese Premier League Club Birkirkara FC
International career
Having acquired Portuguese citizenship, Abubakar chose to represent that country.[21] On 16 June 2016, he was selected for a 23-man preliminary list for the 2016 UEFA European Under-19 Championship[22] and also made the final squad, scoring in a 4–3 group stage win over the hosts Germany.[23] Shortly after, however, after doubts arose regarding his eligibility, the Portuguese Football Federation opted to immediately remove him from the competition pending further approval.[24]
