“Start early” – Gerald Asamoah urges Ghana to target young talents abroad

Former Germany international Gerald Asamoah has called on Ghana to overhaul its approach to recruiting dual-nationality players, stressing the importance of engaging talents at a much earlier stage.

The ex-Germany national football team forward believes Ghana often loses out on top prospects because it waits too long before making its move, allowing countries like England national football team to build stronger connections with players from a young age.

Citing examples such as Kevin-Prince Boateng and Callum Hudson-Odoi, Asamoah noted that Ghana’s late attempts to recruit them made it difficult to secure their commitment.

“We wait until they become big players before approaching them, but by then, other countries have already done the work,” he explained.

According to Asamoah, European nations invest heavily in youth development systems, nurturing players and building loyalty early—an advantage Ghana must begin to replicate.

“The British supported them from the beginning, and now they’ve developed into top players. That’s when we want them,” he added.

The former FC Schalke 04 striker emphasized that Ghana’s football authorities must shift focus toward youth-level engagement, ensuring promising talents are identified and integrated into national structures early in their development.

“You need to start from the youth teams. That’s where it begins,” he stressed.

His comments underline a recurring challenge for the Ghana national football team, who have seen several eligible players opt for other nations over the years. Asamoah believes adopting a long-term, proactive recruitment strategy will be crucial in securing future stars and maintaining competitiveness on the global stage.

With the battle for dual-nationality players intensifying, his message serves as a clear call to action for Ghana to rethink and modernize its talent identification system.