Medeama SC goalkeeper Felix Kyei has shared the circumstances behind his exclusion from Ghana’s final squad for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Ivory Coast, despite his impressive form in the Ghana Premier League.
Kyei, widely regarded as one of the most promising young shot-stoppers on the local scene, was initially named on the Black Stars’ standby list for the tournament. However, he was eventually dropped from the final squad.
Speaking in an interview with Medeama FM, Kyei revealed that then-Black Stars head coach Chris Hughton personally informed him of the decision. Hughton cited a preference for experienced goalkeeper Richard Ofori over Kyei, due to Ofori’s leadership qualities and the potential for the tournament to revive his career.
“We were about to leave for Ivory Coast for AFCON, and at the same time, I had a match in Tamale with Medeama,” Kyei said. “One day, I received a call from Coach Chris Hughton. He praised my performances and encouraged me to keep working hard. He told me I was on the standby list and would be invited if there were any unfortunate incidents.”
According to Kyei, Hughton hinted that he would have preferred to drop Richard Ofori—who had limited game time at Orlando Pirates—but the technical team insisted on keeping him due to his leadership and experience.
“Hughton told me that if he had to drop any goalkeeper, it would have been Ofori. But because of Ofori’s leadership and other reasons, including helping him regain his confidence and use the tournament as a springboard to find a new club, he had to include him,” Kyei added.
Despite the disappointment, Kyei said he respected the coach’s decision and remained focused.
“It was Christmas, and Hughton wished me well. I told him I had no problem with his decision since he’s the head coach and knows what’s best for the team. It’s normal—anything can happen during a national team call-up.”
Ghana exited the tournament at the group stage, leading to Hughton’s dismissal. Since then, Richard Ofori has not received another call-up to the national team.