There was a time when Frederick Asare’s name carried weight across Ghanaian football circles. Calm between the sticks, brave in one-on-one duels, and commanding in his box.
In March 2024, the former Asante Kotoko shot-stopper earned his first Black Stars call-up, joining Otto Addo’s squad for friendlies against Nigeria and Uganda.
It was a proud moment not just for him, but for the Ghana Premier League. He was the only locally based goalkeeper in the squad, a recognition of his stellar form at the time.
That same year, Asare’s stock kept rising. By May 2024, he had firmly displaced Ibrahim Danlad at Kotoko, keeping 10 clean sheets in 17 games and conceding just 10 goals.
I’m ready for Black Stars call-up – Asante Kotoko‘s Frederick Asare
His confident display in Kotoko’s 2-0 win over Hearts of Oak in May 2025 won him plaudits, and when the 2025 AFCON qualifiers came around in October, Otto Addo handed him another national team call-up.
In June 2024, he reached another milestone, named again for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Mali and Central African Republic.
By then, he had become the symbol of domestic consistency; a player fan’s felt could one day become Ghana’s No.1.
The sudden drop
But football can be cruel. Barely a few months after his brightest spell, Asare’s name began to fade from Kotoko’s team sheets.
The arrival of Mohammed Camara saw him lose his starting spot, and by the end of the 2024/25 season, he was out of the first XI entirely.
Seeking a new challenge, he moved to Durban City FC in South Africa at the start of the 2025/26 season, hoping to relaunch his career. Instead, he’s become the third choice, behind seasoned veterans Darren Keet (36) and Ayanda Mtshali (37).
Since the season began, Asare has been on the bench only four times, omitted from the matchday squad on nine occasions, a tough reality for a player once tipped to guard the Black Stars’ post for years to come.
A career on pause
His last official appearance dates back to Kotoko’s 2-0 loss to Nations FC in the 2024/25 Ghana Premier League.
Since then, it’s been months of training without competitive minutes, a situation that tests not just a player’s fitness, but their mental strength.
For a goalkeeper, confidence comes from rhythm, from feeling the pulse of games week in, week out. Without it, even the most talented hands grow rusty.
Yet, there’s still time for Asare. At 26, he’s young by goalkeeping standards. His technical foundations, experience in Ghana’s most demanding club, and exposure to the Black Stars setup give him tools many others lack.
The road back
Football careers rarely move in straight lines. Many great players endured years of uncertainty before making their mark.
For now, Asare remains on the fringes, waiting for a break in a new environment that has tested his resolve.
The talent that once earned him a Black Stars call-up hasn’t vanished; it’s just been muted by circumstance. Whether he re-emerges depends not on hype, but on how long he can hold his nerve when no one is watching.
FKA/JE
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