LA Galaxy winger Joseph Paintsil has expressed disappointment over his exclusion from Ghana’s squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, criticising the decision taken by then Black Stars head coach Otto Addo.
Paintsil, who was among Ghana’s standout performers in Europe at the time while featuring for Belgian side KAA Gent, said he struggled to understand the reasons behind his omission despite what he described as a strong individual season.
His absence from the squad sparked widespread debate among supporters and sections of the media.
Speaking in an interview with VamosNetwork, the 2024 Major League Soccer champion said the explanation offered by the technical team left him unconvinced.
“I was disappointed with the decision of the coach of the national team. There was no tangible, reasonable thing for me to be excluded from the list,” Paintsil said.
He added that he believed the decision had been made earlier and was not based purely on performance.
“There was no miscommunication, but I think they already planned it. It wasn’t about my performance. The only answer he [Otto Addo] gave is that football is not about goals and assists.”
The winger further revealed that concerns were raised about his defensive contribution as the only justification provided by the coach.
“He told me that there is no reason, but the only reason is that I don’t defend. There was no tangible explanation, and I was left behind, really disappointed,” he added.
Ghana went on to exit the tournament in the group stage in Qatar after recording one win and two defeats.
Black Stars later secured qualification for the 2026 World Cup, with Otto Addo guiding the team before his recent replacement on a short-term basis by experienced coach Carlos Queiroz ahead of the global showpiece.
