Eddie Nketiah plays for Crystal Palace
With Ghana on the verge of qualifying for the World Cup, reports have emerged that Crystal Palace forward Eddie Nketiah is reconsidering his stance on representing the Black Stars.
It has been reported that the striker may be willing to switch his national allegiance from England to Ghana if approached.
The report added that he is willing to partake in the 2027 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers before the World Cup to demonstrate his commitment.
However, this news has been met with strong criticism from a section of the public, who have warned the Ghana Football Association (GFA) against making any move to convince the player to join the national team.
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Earlier, Nketiah had said that he is willing to play for the Black Stars if invited by the technical team.
Read the full story as published by GhanaWeb on April 29, 2025, below
‘I will join if invited’ – Eddie Nketiah on playing for Black Stars
Crystal Palace forward, Eddie Nketiah, expressed willingness to play for the Black Stars if called by head coach Otto Addo for upcoming matches.
The former Arsenal striker noted that he gave his best while representing England at the youth level, even though he never played for the senior national team, the ‘Three Lions’
He asserted that, based on the turn of events in his career, he would be available to join the Black Stars, despite previously rejecting approaches from team officials.
“When I was younger, representing England was an option after progressing through the youth system. But if Ghana invites me, then I’ll be there,” he stated during an interview with The Beautiful Game podcast.
However, it is still unclear if head coach Otto Addo will invite him to play in the next Black Stars games.
After spending four years with the Gunners, the striker secured a transfer to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2024 in search of regular playing time.
He was close to switching nationality to play for Ghana in 2022, but the move did not materialise, despite securing his Ghanaian passport.
He is eligible to play for Ghana, as he has yet to make three competitive appearances for England.
He is eligible to play for Ghana, as he has yet to make three competitive appearances for England.
He made his England debut in 2023 in a friendly against Australia.
SB/JE
Meanwhile, watch highlights of Ghana’s 5-0 win over Central African Republic in World Cup qualifiers
