Former Sports Minister Calls For Nketiah, Hudson-Odoi In Black Stars Squad  

Former Sports Minister, Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, has called on the Ghana Football Association to consider inviting foreign-born players Eddie Nketiah and Callum Hudson-Odoi into the Black Stars squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Ghana recently secured qualification for the tournament after beating Comoros, sealing their place at the global competition for the fifth time in history. The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be hosted in the United States of America, Mexico, and Canada.

The Black Stars have been drawn in Group L, where they will open their campaign against Panama before facing England and Croatia. The group is expected to be very competitive, especially with England ranked fourth in the world.

Speaking on Onua TV, the former Member of Parliament believes Ghana can benefit mentally and tactically from playing against England.

“The good thing is that we are going to play against England,” he said. “It will rather give us a psychological advantage over them. They won’t have that overconfidence.”

He added that bringing in experienced attacking players would boost Ghana’s chances at the tournament.

“Imagine having Jordan [Ayew], [Antoine] Semenyo, Eddie Nketiah and Hudson-Odoi in attack! It makes us stronger,” he added.

Eddie Nketiah, who plays for Crystal Palace, has made one appearance for England’s senior team and has scored four goals in all competitions this season.

Callum Hudson-Odoi, currently with Nottingham Forest, has earned three caps for England and has scored three goals this season.