Unity Cup 2025: “Absence of key players won’t affect Ghana bonding” – Otto Addo

Photo Credit - Ghana Black Stars.

Head coach of Ghana's senior male national team, Otto Addo has indicated that the absence of some key players in his squad for the 2025 Unity Cup will not affect team bonding.

The Black Stars will play in the four nation tournament that includes Jamaica, Nigeria and Trinidad and Tobago with fixtures set for the GTech Stadium in London.

The four time African champions will open their tournament against Nigeria in a renewed rivalry on May 28 with the winner facing the victor between Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago on May 30.

West Ham’s Mohammed Kudus and Arsenal’s Thomas Partey, Kamal Deen Sulemana, Ernest Nuamah and Antoine Semenyo are some of the key players missing from the squad but Otto Addo says that will not affect the camaraderie in camp.

“It’s difficult to say, Inaki Williams has been out for a few weeks and there is nothing we can do,” Otto Addo said.

“Kudus Mohammed came to the hotel and visited the players, there are different issues so we are still bonding, we are still connecting, we are trying to do the best but if somebody is injured there is nothing we can do.

“We have to look at the game at the other side it gives a lot of opportunities to the other players and this is how football is and it is not only us but other teams have a lot injuries. Some are very serious and some very slightly and this is how it is and we try still to bond.

“This is a situation which could also happen in September so we will just try to prepare our best for this upcoming matches and surely we have to rely on players who are there.”

Ghana will use the competition as a dress rehearsal for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Chad and Mali in September. The team leads their qualifying group with 15 points following two consecutive wins against Chad and Madagascar in March.