The November international break is over, and while the Black Stars returned from Asia with two defeats and plenty of questions, an entirely different storyline was unfolding away from the pitch.
When Ghana’s Black Stars flew to Asia for the Kirin Cup encounters against Japan and South Korea, a significant group of key players was missing from the traveling squad.
Some were injured, others were recovering, and a few were simply not selected despite being fully fit.
But while the results on the pitch in Tokyo and Seoul told one story, back-to-back defeats with a largely experimental team, the players who stayed behind were writing a very different script.
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Their international break was filled with proposals, supercars, concerts, quiet recovery sessions, and glimpses into their lives away from the national team spotlight.
Fatawu Issahaku: Ferrari entrance at Tidal Rave
Abdul Fatawu Issahaku became the Black Stars’ most talked-about absentee. Despite being fully fit, the Leicester City winger was left out of the Black Stars squad for the November window.
And while his teammates were in Seoul preparing for South Korea, Fatawu made a dramatic appearance at the Tidal Rave concert in Accra.
He arrived in an eye-catching sea-blue Ferrari, flanked by bodyguards, a moment that instantly went viral. Fans at the event were stunned to see him, especially as the national team was thousands of miles away.
After the show, he returned to London and made his mark, assisting the second goal in Leicester’s 2–1 win over Stoke City on Saturday, November 22, 2025.
Antoine Semenyo’s proposal
While injury forced Antoine Semenyo out of the Black Stars camp after the Japan game, the break turned into a life-changing moment for him.
On Tuesday, November 18, the Bournemouth forward proposed to his longtime girlfriend, Jordeen Buckley. The couple, together for five years, shared elegant, intimate photos from the proposal on Instagram.
Buckley, a London-based entrepreneur, glowed in the pictures as Semenyo went down on one knee in a beautifully decorated setting.
It was a rare personal highlight in what has been a busy and physically demanding season for the striker.
Kudus and Issahaku pop up in London concert scene
While Issahaku had his Accra moment, London also had its own star sightings. Highlife singer Fameye held a successful concert at the Steel Yard, and among the audience were two big names: Mohammed Kudus and Fatawu Issahaku.
Kudus, recovering from a knock and managing his workload, kept a low profile during the break. His appearance at the concert reaffirmed that he was in London, focusing on club-related treatment and recovery.
The recovery paid off as he was named in the starting eleven for Tottenham’s London derby against Arsenal on Sunday, November 23, 2025.
He, however, could do nothing as his side fell to a humiliating 4-1 defeat.
Partey and Jordan Ayew: Quiet club commitments
Two of Ghana’s most experienced players also missed the Asia trip: Thomas Partey and Jordan Ayew. Partey stayed with Villarreal throughout the break to continue recovery and conditioning.
His work paid off immediately: right after the international window, he was named in the starting XI for Villarreal’s home clash against Mallorca, playing 63 minutes in a 2–1 win.
Jordan Ayew, meanwhile, remained at Leicester City. He was an unused substitute in their 2–1 win over Stoke City, the same match where Issahaku delivered an assist.
Inaki Williams: Physio room over camp
Athletic Bilbao star Iñaki Williams spent the international break in rehabilitation mode.
Battling a groin injury, he stayed in Spain and worked with the club’s physios instead of joining Ghana. He was not fit enough to feature in Bilbao’s crucial league match against Barcelona immediately after the break.
A break with different stories
In total, Ghana missed key figures such as Partey, Jordan, Kudus, Fatawu, Iñaki, and Semenyo for the Kirin Cup. Even Semenyo, who played against Japan, had to withdraw from the match against South Korea due to injury.
With the absences came opportunities for fringe players, although the team ultimately lost both games.
But away from the demanding travel and training in Asia, the international break unfolded differently for those who stayed behind.
EB/FKA
