Ghana’s national team coach, Otto Addo, has disclosed that Baba Rahman is currently not prepared to rejoin the Black Stars squad for their upcoming fixtures.
Rahman, who was noticeably absent from the roster for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Mali and the Central African Republic, had previously opted out of national team duties before the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations to focus on his club commitments.
Despite his impressive performances for PAOK in the Greek Super League, Addo expressed uncertainties about Rahman’s readiness to resume international duties, citing personal challenges following an incident in Kumasi that affected him and his family.
“I have seen his performances. At the moment he is not ready to come back. What happened in Kumasi affected him and his family a lot,” stated Addo.
“We would have needed him very much. I had a long talk with him and I even wanted to fly there but he was sure he wouldn’t change his mind,” Addo added.
Meanwhile, preparations for the upcoming matches will commence on Thursday, with training sessions scheduled at the University of Ghana Stadium in Legon for six days before the squad travels to Bamako to face Mali on Thursday, June 6, followed by a fixture against the Central African Republic four days later.
The Black Stars aim to recover from recent setbacks, having recorded one win and one loss in their first two matches of the World Cup qualifiers, defeating Madagascar but suffering a defeat to Comoros.