Mohammed Polo, former Black Stars player, believes that it is normal for the captain of the national team to be omitted from the squad, despite their past exploits.
His comments come in response to Otto Addo’s decision to exclude Andre Ayew from the Black Stars squad for the upcoming 2026 World Cup Qualifiers against Mali and the Central African Republic.
The decision to drop Ayew has left many fans surprised, but Polo views it as a routine decision by Addo, which he fully supports. Polo explained that this phase is part of a footballer’s career and that every player has their time.
“Football is like that; everyone has their time. It is natural that anything that has a start has an end. All of us should be playing by now if it is not normal in football. He should take it in good faith,” Polo said in an interview with Connect 97.1FM.
Polo drew a parallel with former Black Stars captain Asamoah Gyan, who experienced a similar situation when the captaincy was handed over to Andre Ayew. “When Gyan was leaving the national team, they took the captaincy from him to Dede, and he left. That is exactly what is happening to the latter too,” he added.
The last time Ayew was omitted from the Black Stars squad was in 2023 when Ghana played against Mexico and the USA in international friendlies, losing both matches.
With Ayew absent, Thomas Partey will lead the Black Stars for the crucial qualifiers. Ghana currently sits in fourth place in Group I with three points from two games, and they are set to face Mali on June 6 at the Stade du 26 Mars in Bamako, followed by a home match against the Central African Republic on June 10 at the Baba Yara Stadium.
These matches are vital for Ghana’s quest to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
Below is the full 26-man squad announced by Otto Addo:
Goalkeepers:
Lawrence Ati-Zigi (St Gallen), Jojo Wollacot (Hibernian FC), Frederick Asare (Asante Kotoko)
Defenders:
Gideon Mensah (AJ Auxerre),Ebenezer Annan (FK Novi Pazar), Mohammed Salisu (AS Monaco), Jerome Opoku (Istanbul Basaksehir), Abdul Mumin (Rayo Vallecano), Alexander Djiku (Fenerbahce Istanbul), Alidu Seidu (Stade Rennes), Tariq Lamptey (Brighton & Hove Albion).
Midfielders:
Mohammed Kudus (West Ham United), Ernest Nuamah (Olympique Lyon), Salis Abdul Samed (RC Lens), Ibrahim Sulemana (Cagliari Calcio), Edmund Addo (FK Radnicki Nis), Thomas Partey (FC Arsenal), Elisha Owusu ( AJ Auxerre), Abu Francis (Cercle Brugge).
Forwards:
Osman Bukari (RS Belgrade), Issahaku Abdul Fatawu (Leicester City, loan from Sporting CP), Antoine Semenyo (Bournemouth), Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace), Ibrahim Osman (FC Nordsjaelland), Kamaldeen Sulemana (FC Southampton), Brandon Thomas-Asante (West Bromwich).
