Black Stars Squad for Kirin Cup: Mohammed Kudus, Thomas Partey and 4 Others Dropped
- Mohammed Kudus, Thomas Partey, and four other key players have reportedly been left out of Ghana’s squad for this month’s international fixtures
- The Black Stars are set to face Japan on November 14 in the Kirin Challenge Cup before squaring off with South Korea in an international friendly four days later
- These matches will mark Ghana’s first outings since securing qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup
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Black Stars head coach Otto Addo has reportedly made some daring calls as Ghana prepares for their international friendlies against Japan and South Korea this November.
The 50-year-old tactician is said to have left out several key figures, a move that underlines his intent to experiment with new faces while managing player fitness ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Source: Twitter
6 players dropped from Black Stars squad
According to former GFA Communications Director Ibrahim Saanie Daara, six established names will be missing from the yet-to-be-announced squad (as at the time of filing this report).
The list of absentees includes some of Ghana’s most influential players, with injuries and fatigue influencing Addo’s selection.
Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Mohammed Kudus headlines the omissions.
The playmaker, who scored Ghana’s decisive goal in the World Cup qualifier against Comoros, will not feature after sustaining a knock in his club’s 1-0 loss to Chelsea.
Kudus has since missed two matches for Spurs, and the technical team has opted to give him ample recovery time.
He will be joined on the sidelines by Villarreal’s Thomas Partey, who, despite his form at club level, will sit out this month's friendlies, and captain Jordan Ayew.
Ayew, who recently ended a 52-day goal drought for Leicester, could miss his first national team engagement since Addo’s return as coach in March 2024.
His Leicester teammate, Abdul Fatawu Issahaku, is also expected to miss the Asian tour.
Further absences include winger Joseph Paintsil, fresh off gifting his mother a new home, and dependable defender Alexander Djiku.
While most of these exclusions are injury-related, reports suggest Addo is also using the opportunity to expand his options and assess emerging talent in a competitive setting.
New names feature in Otto Addo's squad
To fill the void, Addo has reportedly handed call-ups to CF Montreal forward Prince Owusu, Medeama’s in-form attacker Kelvin Nkrumah, and Czech-based striker Prince Kwabena Adu, as cited by Ghanasoccernet.
Their inclusion reflects Addo’s ongoing effort to blend youthful exuberance with experience as Ghana fine-tunes its squad for future challenges.
Source: Twitter
The Black Stars are scheduled to face Japan on Friday, November 14, at Toyota Stadium in Aichi, before locking horns with South Korea on Tuesday, November 18, in Seoul.
These matches will serve as crucial tests for fringe players looking to secure a long-term place in the national setup.
Meanwhile, anticipation is building ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw, which will be held on December 5 in Washington, United States, where Ghana will discover their group-stage opponents.
Asare, two locals in Otto Addo's squad
In a related story, YEN.com.gh reported that Benjamin Asare and two other local players have been included in Otto Addo’s squad for the 2025 Kirin Challenge Cup.
The Black Stars coach’s decision highlights his commitment to mixing homegrown talent with international experience ahead of this month's games.
Proofreading by Omoleye Omoruyi, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
