West Ham star Mohammed Kudus has revealed the mental and physical stress he was under before his red card incident in the Premier League clash against Tottenham Hotspur.
The 23-year-old midfielder was sent off after a fiery exchange with Spurs players Mickey van de Ven and Pape Matar Sarr, where he shoved both players during a confrontation. Kudus admitted that the pressures leading up to the match played a role in his actions.
“I was stressed before the game. I had travelled for a midweek international fixture and received a lot of negative comments on social media,” he explained. “It was a tough time mentally, and I let that affect me during the match.”
Kudus’s actions, which included pushing Van de Ven and Sarr in the face, led to a red card following a VAR review. However, the midfielder took full responsibility for his actions and issued a sincere apology. “I accept that I lost my cool, and it’s not who I am,” Kudus said. “I’m deeply embarrassed by my behaviour. I’ve always tried to be a role model, especially for my community and people in Ghana.”
The Football Association (FA) acknowledged Kudus’s sincere apology and, considering his previously clean disciplinary record, imposed a two-game ban in addition to a three-match suspension. As a result, Kudus will be sidelined for a total of five games and will also be fined £60,000.
