Eddie Nketiah sensational Blackstars U-Turn

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SportsXG
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Crystal Palace striker, Eddie Nketsiah has made a controversial turnaround to play for the Blackstars, after turning down the same, two years ago.

Ghana Blackstars are on the verge of qualifying for their 5th appearance at the Fifa World Cup 2026, which is going to be held in Canada, USA and Mexico, after a securing a convincing win over Central African Republic in Menkes, Morocco, on Wednesday. The Blackstars just need to avoid a defeat against Comoros to make their qualification sure.

With Ghana 99% sure of qualifying, it is expected that the interest of a lot of people and parties will be awakened and will express interest in being part of the Blackstars’ story at the world stage. Therefore, it is no surprise to see Ghanaian-born players, who were raised in foreign countries, who once upon a time, declined to play for the nation in favor of other foreign countries, making a u-turn to express desire to play for Ghana.

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Eddie Nketsiah is one of such players who have expressed desire and interest in representing Ghana at the World Cup. The Ghanaian citizens have been livid about this due to a number of factors, which is laudable in every sense of it.

The Crystal Palace striker, was contacted by the Ghana Football Association, two years ago, about naturalizing for Ghana and playing for the Blackstars at the 2023 AFCON onwards. This offer was turned down by the player, who was then plying his trade at Arsenal, in favour of an England national team call up. He sited the fact that he felt more connection with England (the country he was born in and grew up in), than the country of his origin, Ghana. Therefore, it made sense to him to wait for an England call-up, rather than make the switch to play for Ghana Blackstars.

After much wait, the call-up to the English national team never arrived. Nketsiah was less-favored than other English players who came up with him and even those who came up after him. It became evidently clear, that the call-up to the English national team was never going to come. It also became obvious that he was never going to have an international cap in his cv, with him hitting his prime age. Fast forward, new broke out on Thursday October 10, 2025, that the Crystal Palace forward has expressed interest in making the switch to Ghana and joining the team for the 2026 Fifa World Cup.

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This news was received with fair anger from many Ghanaians, who feel that the player is trying to exploit the country and that they feel he has his own interest at heart and not the interest of the country. A lot of them argued that, Nketsiah turned down Ghana, when the country needed his services the most. And many feel he is only making the turnaround after realizing he was never going to get an England call-up and knowing very well that Ghana is on the brink of qualifying for the World Cup, which many see as an opportunistic attempt to have an international cap under his belt.

While a section of Ghanaians are expressing the need to assemble quality players to the world stage, many also argue that other players, cannot suffer and bear the burden of playing through the African qualifiers, only to present it on a silver platter to a player who did not partake in ensuring the country’s qualification. Many believe that none of the players who contributed to the World Cup qualification success, should be sacrificed for Eddie Nketsiah.

It will be unfair to those players if such happens. Many Ghanaian players, who are currently injured and not part of the current squad to face Comoros, got injured whilst playing for Ghana in the qualifiers. Therefore, many believe that such players, deserve their spot in the Ghana squad for the World Cup, should they gain fitness in time.

A section of football loving fans in Ghana, believe that Eddie Nketsiah is a good player, brut he needs to prove his commitment to the course of Ghana, with many advocating that he should make himself available for the next AFCON qualifiers and the AFCON 2027 itself, to prove his commitment and loyalty to the course of Ghana.

One of those people calling for this is the former Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Football Association, Ibrahim Sane Darra, who posted on X: “Strong rumours swirling that England duo of Eddie Nketiah & Callum Hudson-Odoi are keen on switching to play for Ghana with #WorldCup2026 looming. They must first switch after the World Cup & demonstrate their commitment by playing in the 2027 Afcon qualifiers.”

With Eddie making this turnaround, it remains to be seen if his wish will be granted by the GFA or the association will pay heed to the Ghanaian people. Will you take Eddie Nketsiah into the Blackstars in this moment in time?

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