Former Sports Minister Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye has cast doubt on the readiness of locally based players to earn places in Black Stars, insisting the current standard falls short of what is required at the highest level.
His remarks come at a time when debate continues to grow over the inclusion of home-based talent in the Ghana national football team, despite the long-standing reliance on players plying their trade abroad.
Speaking on Citi FM, the former Odododiodio MP pointed to what he described as a significant quality gap within the domestic league.
He singled out Benjamin Asare—widely considered one of the standout performers in the Ghana Premier League—arguing that even the goalkeeper struggles to meet international standards.
Vanderpuye referenced Ghana’s recent 2-1 friendly loss to Germany as evidence, citing costly errors during the match.
“When I hear calls to include local players, I sometimes laugh. How is it possible? They play like colts players,” he said.
“Who are these local players? The standard is poor. Name three who are good enough to start. Even Benjamin Asare is a problem.
“He may be the best goalkeeper in the country, but he lacks many things. Against Germany, he came out twice, and both situations were disasters,” he added.
The Black Stars are expected to regroup in May and June for preparatory matches against Mexico and Wales ahead of the announcement of Ghana’s final squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on June 1.
