Loyalty over timing: Otto Addo tells foreign-born players eyeing Ghana’s World Cup team

Black Stars head coach Otto Addo has revealed that several foreign-born footballers have rejected multiple invitations to represent Ghana since 2021, despite sustained engagement from the national team’s technical team.

Addo’s revelation comes in the wake of growing reports that English-born stars Callum Hudson-Odoi and Eddie Nketiah are weighing a switch of allegiance to feature for Ghana at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Speaking to 3Sports following Ghana’s qualification for the global showpiece, the coach made it clear that players who turned down earlier approaches will not automatically walk into the national setup now that the team has secured a place in North America.

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Addo said,

We will look at each case one by one. There are players I have been chasing since 2021 who didn’t reply to our calls or want to come

It’s a different thing if we haven’t approached you and now you want to come. But if we have been approaching you all the way and you said no, and now we are at the World Cup, so you want to come, that’s a different matter.

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The German-born tactician stressed that loyalty and commitment will be key considerations in his squad selection, having now achieved the remarkable feat of qualifying Ghana for back-to-back World Cup tournaments ahead of the 2026 finals.

Addo, who previously guided Ghana to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, underscored the importance of protecting the team’s spirit and identity, warning against disrupting the current sense of togetherness that has fuelled the Black Stars’ success.

He added,

I think Ghana should always have a certain pride. As a country, we need to check the commitment of each player. We have very good unity, and we would rather not destroy it by bringing in players who don’t have commitment.

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Under Addo’s leadership, Ghana has blended homegrown talents with a select group of dual nationals, many of whom have become pivotal to the team’s resurgence. However, the coach’s latest comments suggest a more selective approach as the technical team finalises preparations for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

The Black Stars will learn their group-stage opponents on December 5, 2025, when FIFA conducts the official World Cup draw in Washington, D.C.