Ghanaian forward Bernard Tekpetey has opened up about the possibility of playing for the Bulgarian national team due to his limited opportunities with the Black Stars.
Despite his consistent performances for Ludogorets in the Bulgarian top flight over the past four seasons, the 26-year-old has only featured twice for Ghana, during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.
Tekpetey made one substitute appearance and started in the third-place playoff game during the tournament. Despite his impressive form, he has struggled to secure a regular spot in the Ghanaian national team.
Ranked second in goals scored across all competitions this season among players listed in Otto Addo’s 26-man squad for the June World Cup qualifiers, Tekpetey has netted 15 goals, trailing only Mohammed Kudus who has scored 18.
Speaking on Game Plan on Joy FM, Tekpetey revealed, “I think it might happen because I have a Bulgarian passport where I can switch to play. They contacted me, but I told them I need to discuss this with the family first. I come from Ghana, and I cannot do anything, and my mom is going to be unhappy. First, I need to speak with my mom.”
He continued, “I know my mom loves and wishes for me to play in the national team. Even when my name was in the AFCON provisional squad and someone told her, she was happy. I just didn’t want to discuss at the moment with my mom. I just want to stay calm, play my game and see what is going to happen next.”
NOTE: Due to his previous appearances for Ghana in competitive international matches, it will be challenging for Bernard Tekpetey to switch his national team allegiance to Bulgaria. FIFA’s rules are in place to prevent players from easily switching teams, and exceptions are only made in specific circumstances, such as:
- If the player has not played for the previous country’s national team in a competitive match in the last 3 years.
- If the player has a genuine connection to the new country (e.g., birth, parents, or grandparents).
- If the player has not played for the previous country’s national team in a major tournament (e.g., World Cup, European Championship).
Given Tekpetey’s history with Ghana’s national team, it’s unlikely he’ll meet these exceptions, making a switch to Bulgaria’s national team difficult.
