Former Vice President of the Ghana Football Association, George Afriyie, has reiterated that selection into the Black Stars remains strictly performance-based, insisting that no footballer has an automatic place in the national team.
His remarks come amid renewed discussions surrounding potential nationality switches by European-based players, including Callum Hudson-Odoi of Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace striker Eddie Nketiah, both of whom are reportedly reconsidering representing Ghana after previously turning down invitations.
Speaking to Graphic Sports, Afriyie stressed that national team call-ups should depend solely on a player’s ability to contribute positively to the team at any given time.
“Nobody is a permanent member of the Black Stars,” he stated. “The national team exists so that whenever a coach believes a player can help the Black Stars’ cause, he must be free to select him without any obstacles.”
He further noted the difficult decisions facing the technical team ahead of the World Cup squad submission deadline, highlighting concerns about fairness to players who featured during qualification.
Ghana used 46 different players across 10 qualifying matches, yet only 26 will be included in the final squad to be submitted by June 1.
“Not all the players who participated in the qualifiers will make the World Cup squad, so we must also consider whether that is fair to those who helped secure qualification,” Afriyie added.
The Black Stars will make their fifth appearance at the FIFA World Cup, where they have been drawn in Group L alongside Panama, England, and Croatia.
Ghana begin their campaign against Panama on June 17 before facing England on June 23, with their final group fixture scheduled against Croatia on June 27.
As part of preparations, the team will regroup in March for international friendlies against Austria and Germany, followed by a final warm-up match against Mexico in May. The GFA has confirmed that the squad will be based at Bryant University in the United States throughout the tournament.
