Black Stars head coach Otto Addo has addressed the surge of interest from foreign-born players seeking to represent Ghana at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, stressing that only those with genuine commitment and pride in the national jersey will be considered
In an exclusive interview with 3Sports, Addo emphasized that unity and loyalty within the team must not be compromised as Ghana prepares for its fifth World Cup appearance.
“I think Ghana should always have certain pride,” Addo said. “As a country, we need to check every player’s commitment, which is very crucial. We have a very good unity, and we definitely don’t want to destroy it by bringing in players who don’t have that commitment.”
He further noted that some players who previously ignored overtures from the national team have now expressed interest following Ghana’s qualification.
“It’s different when we’ve never approached you and now you want to come, but when we’ve been chasing you for years and you said no and now that we’re going to the World Cup you suddenly want to join that’s not right,” he explained.
Addo revealed that several players he contacted as far back as 2021 declined the opportunity to play for Ghana, making it difficult to take a blanket approach to nationality switches.
“There are players I have been chasing since 2021 who didn’t reply to our calls. It’s difficult to say generally how we’ll deal with players wanting to switch nationality,” he said.
Despite this, Addo insisted that the door remains open to anyone who truly wants to play for Ghana. “If he wants to play for Ghana, then we are always open,” he stated.
As the World Cup approaches, the coach reaffirmed his commitment to protecting team harmony, honouring the players who earned qualification, and ensuring that every call-up is based on dedication and national pride.
