Eddie Nketiah's Hopes Dashed: Ghana 'Refuses' His Call After World Cup Qualification
- The Black Stars’ technical team has reportedly made a decisive call regarding England-born striker Eddie Nketiah
- Nketiah, who previously rejected overtures from the Ghana Football Association, is now open to representing the country of his parents
- His prospects of featuring for Ghana at the 2026 FIFA World Cup appear uncertain, given his recent dip in form at club level
Eddie Nketiah’s hopes of wearing Ghana’s colours on football’s biggest stage appear to have reached a painful dead end.
The Arsenal academy graduate, once touted as a potential addition to the Black Stars attack, has reportedly been dropped from Ghana’s plans following the team’s qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Source: Getty Images
Ghana 'closes door' on Nketiah
According to Flashscore, the Otto Addo-led technical team has collectively decided to move on from the Crystal Palace forward.
The coaches are said to prefer strikers who bring a different skill set to the current frontline.
Sources also claim that the staff have not forgotten how coldly Nketiah dismissed Ghana’s overtures before the 2022 World Cup, a snub that left a lasting impression.
Now 26, the player and his representatives have reportedly had a change of heart, expressing renewed interest in joining the Black Stars.
However, that door seems firmly shut, with the technical team unwilling to revisit a pursuit that once ended in disappointment.
Comparing Nketiah with other striker options
Nketiah’s club career has done little to strengthen his case. After leaving Arsenal in 2024 to seek regular football, his move to Crystal Palace has not gone according to plan.
Though he played a part in helping the Eagles win the FA Cup and Community Shield and scored the match-winner against Liverpool in the Premier League, his numbers tell a different story.
Transfermarkt reports he has managed just nine goals in 43 appearances — an output far below expectations for a striker once tipped for greatness.
Source: Getty Images
To make matters worse for Nketiah, Otto Addo’s staff are believed to be rewarding players who fought through the qualifiers rather than turning to late entrants.
That stance effectively rules out fringe names, including dual nationals like Nketiah, who once kept their options open.
With forwards such as Jordan Ayew and Brandon Thomas-Asante ahead in the pecking order, and young talents like Jerry Afriyie and Prince Adu — who recently scored in Viktoria Plzeň’s 2-1 victory over AS Roma — emerging, competition for attacking spots is fierce.
Watch Prince Adu's solo goal vs Roma:
What are Nketiah's chances of playing for England or Ghana?
For Nketiah, born in London to Ghanaian parents, the situation is bittersweet.
His chance to represent England seems to have faded, while his late attempt to align with Ghana appears to have come too late.
What was once a promising international dream now looks uncertain, leaving the forward facing the toughest question of his career — where does he belong?
His story is a reminder of how timing and choices can shape a player’s journey.
As Ghana look ahead to North America 2026, the Black Stars seem to have moved on, while Nketiah must now find a way to reignite both his form and his future.
Prophet warns Black Stars about Nketiah
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that a Ghanaian prophet warned the Black Stars about Eddie Nketiah and other dual-national players.
Ghana’s qualification for the 2026 World Cup has attracted interest from several foreign-born footballers eager to switch nationality.
Proofreading by Omoleye Omoruyi, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
