'2010 was a shock to me' - Laryea Kingston opens up on painful 2010 World Cup omission

• Former Black Stars midfielder Laryea Kingston says his omission from Ghana’s 2010 FIFA World Cup squad was “never fair” and remains one of the biggest disappointments of his career.

• Kingston revealed he was informed around midnight by the technical team and GFA officials that he would not make the final squad for the tournament in South Africa.

• The former Ghana international also urged coaches to be honest with players during squad selection, warning that false hope and poor communication can create tension within teams.

Former Ghana international Laryea Kingston has spoken emotionally about his controversial omission from Ghana’s final squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, describing the decision as one of the most painful moments of his football career.

Speaking in a recent interview, the former Black Stars midfielder said he was left shocked and devastated after being informed late at night that he would not be part of Ghana’s travelling squad for the tournament in South Africa.

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“For me, 2010 was a shock to me. It was a shock to most of the people, even the playing body, was shocked. Till today, they still talk about it,” Kingston said.

“And for me, I think it's not fair. I have to be very honest. It's not fair. It's never been fair.”

Kingston revealed that the news was broken to him around midnight while the team was in camp preparing for the tournament.

“I quite remember, and the saddest thing is they broke the news to me around 12 midnight. We were all going to bed. I was ready to go and sleep. My roommate was Quincy,” he recounted, referring to former Black Stars winger Quincy Owusu-Abeyie.

“I was sleeping, actually. And Quincy said, oh, the Team Manager is calling you.”

According to Kingston, he was invited into a meeting room where members of the technical team and Ghana Football Association officials were waiting.

“And I got in the conference room and I saw the technical team, the leader of delegation. Nyantakyi was there. Dr. Randy Abbey was there. Then the coach and his backroom staff. And then they broke the news to me,” he said.

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The former Hearts of Oak star admitted he struggled emotionally with the decision, especially because he had already planned for the 2010 tournament to be his final major assignment with the national team.

“They broke the news to me and I was, like, bombed. I was disappointed,” Kingston said.

“Nyantakyi told me that there are more games for the national team to play. And I remember my words vividly. I told him, hey, you think I'm going younger?”

“I've made up my mind that after 2010, I will focus on my club career and lead the national team for the young ones. So why don't you at least include me in the squad for the last time.”

“I didn't take it lightly. I was on top of my voice though”, he recounted.

Kingston was one of the key figures in Ghana’s national team setup during the 2000s and played an important role in the Black Stars. He earned more than 40 caps for Ghana and represented the country at multiple Africa Cup of Nations tournaments.

He was also part of Ghana’s qualification campaign for the 2006 FIFA World Cup but missed the tournament in Germany through suspension after receiving a red card during the qualification stages.

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At club level, Kingston played for several teams across Europe and the Middle East, including Hearts of Oak, Heart of Midlothian F.C., Hapoel Tel Aviv F.C. and Russian side FC Terek Grozny.

Despite Ghana’s historic run to the quarter-finals at the 2010 World Cup under Serbian coach Milovan Rajevac, Kingston’s exclusion remained one of the major talking points surrounding the squad selection.

The former midfielder also used the interview to advise coaches to be more transparent with players during squad selection processes.

According to him, inviting players into camp when they already have little or no chance of making the final squad can create unnecessary tension and emotional frustration within teams.

He urged coaches to communicate honestly with sidelined players instead of giving them false hope, insisting that openness helps players mentally prepare for disappointment and protects unity within the squad.