World Cup 2026: Osei Kuffour backs inclusion of foreign players of Ghanaian descent

Former Ghana defender Samuel Osei Kuffour believes that the senior men’s team will be stronger at the 2026 FIFA World Cup if coach Otto Addo ropes into his squad foreign players of Ghanaian descent.

The Black Stars booked their spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after topping Group I with 25 points, a fifth after their debut appearance in Germany 2006 and subsequent entries in South Africa 2010, Brazil 2014 and Qatar 2022.

Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest attackers, Eddie Nketiah and Callum Hudson-Odoi are but a few names that have been linked to nationality switch to represent the four time African champions at the global football festival in Canada, USA and Mexico.

Samuel Osei Kuffor who had a glittering career with German giants Bayern Munich waded into the debate of including foreign players of Ghanaian descent into Otto Addo’s squad.

Ghana needs players born abroad to strengthen squad

“When you look back at the history of Ghana football, not all who played in the qualifiers made it to the main tournament, for instance the Laryea Kingston situation in Germany 2006, we could have considered him but he was dropped because he had two suspensions. But he played almost all the qualifying matches,” Osei Kuffour told Dan Kwaku Yeboah TV.

“Alex Tachie Mensah did not play in the qualifiers, even Derick Boateng and Razak Pimpong, Otto Addo himself, Hans Adu-Sarpei did not play in the qualifiers but they went to Germany 2006.

“So not all can make it to the World Cup but we must try and get the players in the diaspora at a young age to play for our junior and youth teams in order to adjust to the Ghanaian culture and system.”

Samuel Osei Kuffour backed coach Otto Addo to succeed with the Black Stars after leading the side to a group stage exit in the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Samuel Osei Kuffour backs Otto Addo to succeed

“In all the qualifying matches that Ghana played, when it gets tough Otto Addo changes his tactics. Ghana employed the three-back system against Mali and Comoros in the World Cup qualifiers because he wanted to secure qualification.

“For me it depends on the kind of players you have to play that kind of formation but it will depend on him what he will decide for the team to play because we are not a bad squad.

“We have players playing in Europe and are doing well so how can we judge that when we play against the big boys they beat us, it’s the world cup, let’s go there, have our self-confidence, fill our tanks and go and face them because it’s the World Cup.

Ghana have been paired against Europeans England and Croatia as well as CONCACAF side Panama in Group L with their opening game against Panama and subsequent clashes against England and Croatia.

⚽ Follow Pan-Africa Football across platforms for real-time news and stories.