Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey has downplayed reports of unrest over the Black Stars captaincy, insisting there are no internal issues within the national team.
In recent years, the captaincy of the senior national team has stirred debate, especially after a series of changes. Partey wore the armband in the absence of long-serving captain Andre Ayew.
However, during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Sudan, Mohammed Kudus was appointed captain after Partey was ruled out due to injury.
Later, Jordan Ayew captained the team in the final round of those qualifiers, though the team fell short of expectations. Ahead of the ongoing 2026 World Cup qualifiers, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) confirmed Jordan Ayew as the new permanent captain.
Addressing the issue publicly for the first time in an interview with 3Sports, Partey stated that the media narratives are misleading and do not reflect the true atmosphere in camp.
“Personally, I’ve never thought of controlling or being the head of anything. I came to the Black Stars willingly. I want to be here because I have seen a lot of good players give everything for Ghana and enjoy it,” the 31-year-old said.
“When we switch from one captain to the other, it has to be smooth. I don’t know where the fight is coming from, I think it’s from outside. In the team, we don’t talk about any player or captaincy.”
Partey stressed that the captaincy drama is largely media-driven and external.
“The problem is from outside, not inside, and then it becomes a problem for the coach because he gets asked about it, and the player also gets asked. Inside, there is nothing. Outside, everybody talks about it, and it becomes a problem,” he added.
The Black Stars are scheduled to resume their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign in September with matches against Chad and Mali.
READ ALSO