Former Black Stars defender Samuel Osei Kuffour has called for a more aggressive and organised approach to securing the commitment of Ghanaian-heritage players born or raised abroad, as debate intensifies over dual-nationality footballers.
Speaking amid growing scrutiny of Ghana’s player recruitment strategy ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Kuffour said Ghana is increasingly losing out to European nations when it comes to convincing top prospects to switch allegiance.
In an interview with 3Sports, the former Bayern Munich defender argued that Ghana often finds itself playing catch-up in a highly competitive global talent market, where elite players with Ghanaian roots are frequently courted by multiple national teams.
He pointed to the dilemma surrounding players such as Jude Bellingham, suggesting that countries like England would almost always have the upper hand in securing their services.
“If your son is Jude Bellingham, both parents from Ghana, will you allow Jude Bellingham to play for Ghana or England? Whether we like it or not, we are the second choice,” Kuffour said.
He also highlighted examples such as Jeremy Doku and Jeremie Frimpong, both of whom are eligible to represent Ghana but play for European nations, as evidence of missed opportunities.
According to him, the solution lies in earlier engagement and stronger long-term scouting structures.
“If Doku, Jeremie Frimpong and all those players… if we had got them young, all of them would play for Ghana. Let’s get them young. That’s why I’m using the office in Europe,” he explained.
His remarks add to a long-running conversation within Ghanaian football about identity, opportunity and the growing challenge of competing with established European systems for dual-national players.
