M. Duah

Manu Duah was San Diego's first pick in the club's history, taken No.1 overall in the 2025 MLS SuperDraft in December 2024.

His path there was not straightforward. After his father's death left the family unable to cover school fees in Kumasi, Duah left education behind before joining the New Life Academy in Ghana. In 2021, at 16, he moved to the United States to study at The Dunn School in Santa Barbara, California, playing in MLS NEXT for the Santa Barbara Soccer Club. By 2024 he had progressed to UC Santa Barbara's college team, making 14 appearances before the draft call came.

Duah made his MLS debut for San Diego on 25 June 2025 and went on to play 22 league matches that season, earning a place on the league's "22 Under 22" list of young talent. In July 2025 he was named man of the match against the Vancouver Whitecaps despite conceding an own goal in the same game.

He kept his place in the side into 2026. On 3 February that year he scored his first professional goal, against Pumas UNAM in the CONCACAF Champions Cup — the first goal in San Diego's history in that competition. He has also registered an assist in MLS play this season.

In May 2026, Duah received his first call-up to Ghana's senior national team, for a friendly against Mexico.