Foreign-born players who rejected Ghana can’t expect automatic World Cup call-ups - Otto Addo

Black Stars head coach Otto Addo has disclosed that several foreign-born players have repeatedly turned down the chance to represent Ghana since 2021, despite consistent efforts by the national team to recruit them.

His comments follow reports suggesting that Callum Hudson-Odoi and Eddie Nketiah are now open to switching nationality to play for Ghana at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Speaking to 3Sports after guiding Ghana to qualification, Addo cautioned that players who previously ignored invitations will not be guaranteed places in the squad simply because the team has secured a World Cup berth.

"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," Addo said. "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.”

Addo, who has now led Ghana to consecutive World Cup appearances, emphasized that commitment and national pride will be crucial in finalizing his squad for the global showpiece.

"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 don’t want to destroy it by bringing in players who don’t have commitment," he added.

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