L-R: Jordan Ayew, Semenyo and Eddie Nketiah
GhanaWeb Feature by Benjamin Sackey
Crystal Palace forward Eddie Nketiah, expressing his willingness to play for the Black Stars if invited, has sparked arguments in the sporting fraternity in the country.
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 said.
However, his comments do not sit well with some Ghanaians, as reports emerged that he rejected an approach from the Ghana Football Association (GFA) officials to join the Black Stars for the 2022 World Cup, which was hosted in Qatar.
This GhanaWeb Sports feature explores whether Eddie Nketiah will fit into the current Black Stars squad, considering the attackers at their disposal
Eddie Nketiah’s statistics in the 2024/2025 season so far:
Nketiah has not had the best of seasons since his move to Crystal Palace from Arsenal in the 2024/25 season. He has played 25 Premier League games, scored once, and assisted once.
In the English FA Cup and the EFL Cup, he has scored four and provided one assist. In some matches, he has had to come from the bench as he struggles to excel.
Statistics of Black Stars forwards:
Antoine Semenyo, after 34 games for his club Bournemouth, has scored 10 goals and made four assists, leading his side towards qualification for European competition.
He scored once in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers as well.
Jordan Ayew, who plays for Leicester City, has made 34 appearances for his club side, scoring five goals and becoming one of the leading goal scorers among Africans.
He provided three assists and scored once against Chad in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Inaki Williams happens to be the player with the best statistics for his club side, scoring 11 goals and making 9 assists in 46 matches. He is still adapting to the Black Stars, having scored a few goals so far.
Olympic Lyonnais forward Ernest Nuamah has recorded 5 goals and 3 assists, helping the team’s cause in qualifying for the Champions League.
Will Nketiah thrive among the Black Stars attackers
Black Stars head coach Otto Addo has yet to decide whether the English-born player with Ghanaian descent will be given a call-up in upcoming matches.
However, analysing the statistics of the current attackers, denying the player a call-up might not be a significant blow for the team, considering his dip in form with his club team.
His adaptability will be crucial to his success and will have to score more to gain a starting spot which seem unlikely looking at his current performance.
Given Nketiah’s recent poor performances, which often see him starting from the bench for Crystal Palace, it would be dicey for him to excel. Building the team with the current attackers, who seem to gel very well will be prudent.
Watch Ghana U-15 boys’ 1-0 defeat to Tanzania in the semi-finals
