Former Ghana international Derek Boateng has firmly rejected suggestions that Callum Hudson-Odoi and Eddie Nketiah should be drafted into Ghana’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, arguing that their inclusion would do more harm than good to the Black Stars.
Speaking on Sporty FM, the ex-midfielder questioned the fairness of selecting players who played no role in the qualification process, warning that such decisions risk damaging the bond within the team and undermining the sacrifices made by those who endured the campaign.
“They should not invite them. Hudson-Odoi and Nketiah, no,” Boateng said. “I don’t think it’s fair. It’s not fair for the rest of the players.”
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Boateng stressed that the road to a major tournament is as important as the tournament itself, insisting that commitment during difficult qualifiers should carry significant weight when final squads are selected.
To underline his argument, he drew on a personal experience involving Kevin-Prince Boateng during his own playing days with the national team.
“I remember we went for AFCON qualifiers, tough conditions, bad pitches, and Kevin-Prince Boateng didn’t show up,” he recalled. “But when we had a game in England, he came to the hotel. The players insisted he would not play, and the FA made sure he left the camp. He would not play.”
According to Derek Boateng, allowing players to bypass challenging qualification matches only to appear at the final tournament sets a dangerous precedent.
“You cannot skip qualifiers and then show up when it’s convenient. It will not happen,” he added.
Beyond issues of fairness, Boateng also raised concerns about the potential impact on team harmony, noting that football success depends heavily on unity and shared struggle.
“Football is teamwork. Bringing them will create chaos. Players have friendships. If you’ve been grinding through qualifiers and someone else is invited ahead of you, it will affect the spirit,” he explained.
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Despite his strong stance, Boateng admitted the matter is not entirely black and white, suggesting that the players themselves may not be fully responsible for how their international futures unfolded.
“From the beginning, nobody was there for them,” he said, though he maintained that this should not override the principles of merit and commitment.
Ghana were pitted in a challenging group for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where they will face Panama, England and Croatia at the tournament, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
