Former Sports Minister Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye has delivered a harsh assessment of home-based players, insisting none currently meet the technical standards required to play for the Black Stars.
His comments come at a time when Ghana’s national team continues to struggle, with increasing scrutiny on the quality of players emerging from the domestic league.
Over the past year, Benjamin Asare has been the only consistent locally based player in the national team setup, but even his performances have not convinced Vanderpuye.
Speaking to Citi Sports, the former minister criticised the overall standard of the Ghana Premier League, arguing that it falls far short of what is needed at the international level. He controversially likened the level of play to “colts” or juvenile football.
According to him, the gap between domestic football and the demands of international competition has grown significantly, leaving local players ill-prepared for the pressures of senior national team football.
“No local player has the quality to play for the Black Stars of Ghana. They play like colts players. Even Benjamin Asare, whom we consider the best, has a lot of problems,” Vanderpuye stated.
His remarks come on the back of a difficult period for the Black Stars, who failed to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) for the first time in two decades and have dropped to 74th in the FIFA rankings.
