Kofi Adams, the Sports Minister, has weighed in on the ongoing debate surrounding Ghanaian-born players abroad who once rejected a call to play for the Black Stars.
According to the Sports Minister, Ghana is going to the World Cup and must go with it best.
He asserted that past rejections shouldn’t block Ghanaian players abroad from representing the Black Stars.
Speaking in an interview, Kofi Adams stated, “I don’t see it that way at all. I believe that any Ghanaian born anywhere, living anywhere, must be given the opportunity to partake in anything Ghana is involved in,” he said.
“Every day, we are confronted with decisions that we have to make. Some people, on one particular day, will reject. Sometimes circumstances, we shouldn’t just judge people based on a decision they made in the past.”
“We are going for the World Cup; we must go with our best,” Adams stressed.
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His comments follow Eddie Nketiah and Callum Hudson-Odoi, who previously declined invitations, but reports suggest they are now considering the national team.
Meanwhile, the president of the Ghana Football Association, Kurt Okraku, has said mercenaries and players who rejected playing for the Black Stars should count themselves out of Ghana’s team for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
According to the GFA president, the Black Stars only need committed and passionate players ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Speaking in an interview with 3 sports, Kurt Okraku stated, “Players who have not shown enough commitment to the Ghanaian flag will not be part of us. There must be a good reason why a player is included in the travelling party. I want players who display high levels of dedication, passion, and respect for Ghana.”
“As a leader, I don’t really care what anybody says. At the end of the day, the responsibility lies with me, and I am accountable for Ghana.”
He added, “If we have approached you before and you turned us down, if you’ve shown a lack of respect or declined to play for Ghana in the past, count yourself out. It’s not going to happen”.