Injury-Stricken Nwakaeme Dropped From Trabzonspor Squad

Veteran Nigerian forward Anthony Nwakaeme has been left out of Trabzonspor’s squad after ongoing injury problems saw his registration cut ahead of the second half of the Turkish Süper Lig season.

The 36 year old, who has been sidelined for much of the campaign with a serious hamstring and tendon issue, was struck off the club’s official roster after failing to regain full fitness following lengthy rehabilitation.

Nwakaeme’s struggles began in the opening league fixture of the season, when a rupture in his left hamstring forced him off early and ultimately led to several months out of action. His club later froze his squad status due to foreign-player quota restrictions, leaving the Nigerian icon in limbo.

The former Super Eagles striker had been expected to return to training in time for the January registration window, with hopes of reintegration after completing his recovery programme. However, Trabzonspor opted instead to omit him from the list as they look to move forward with fit players.

The decision adds to a challenging season for Nwakaeme, who had featured prominently for both club and country prior to suffering the setback.

Editorial

In the unforgiving calculus of elite sport, age and injury are the twin spectres that haunt the twilight of even the most celebrated careers. Anthony Nwakaeme’s latest set-back being struck off Trabzonspor’s squad list — is not merely a transactional detail in Turkish football’s bureaucratic ledger it is a poignant chapter in the story of a player who has long been a lodestar for Nigerian attacking talent.

At 36, Nwakaeme’s body has borne the imprint of years of competition across leagues and continents. His hamstring rupture, sustained in the opening act of the Süper Lig season, was not just a physical blow but a narrative wrench halting momentum and triggering a prolonged absence from the very game that defined his professional identity. The football calendar is relentless; opportunities, once lost, are seldom recovered without cost.

Trabzonspor’s decision to omit him from the current squad reflects the club’s pragmatic response to the rigours of squad registration and foreign-player quotas. Yet pragmatism can often feel cold against the warmth of past glories the goals he scored, the veteran leadership he provided, the very reason supporters once rallied behind his name.

Now, as Nwakaeme works towards fitness, the defining question is not simply whether he can play again but what he will represent upon his return. Will it be a renaissance, reminiscent of a warrior reclaiming lost ground? Or will it be a quieter role, where influence emanates not from pitch minutes but from wisdom shared in the dressing room?

Football, in its stark realism, rarely offers fairy-tale endings. Yet it is in the grit of recovery and the humility of reinvention that a seasoned professional’s legacy is often most deeply etched not just in goals or caps, but in the grace with which they confront the inevitable ebb of physical prime.

Did You Know?

1. Long Injury History Transfermarkt’s records show Nwakaeme’s career has been interrupted by numerous injuries over recent seasons, including multiple muscle and tendon issues that have kept him out for extended periods.
2. Süper Lig Past Success Nwakaeme was a key figure in Trabzonspor’s historic 2021/22 Turkish Süper Lig title win — the club’s first league trophy in nearly four decades before his current struggles.
3. Registration Freeze His squad removal stemmed not only from fitness issues but also from foreign-player quota restrictions in Turkey, which led to his deregistration until the next window.
4. Veteran Status — At 36, Nwakaeme is among the oldest Nigerian internationals still active at a top-flight club, highlighting his longevity at the highest level.
5. Working Toward a Comeback — Recent reports suggest he is aiming for a January return, with rehabilitation and training programmes tailored to get him back into competitive shape.