Sports
Tekpetey breaks silence: “Why call me at 18 if it was not my time?”
Ludogorets forward Bernard Tekpetey has questioned the Black Stars’ selection decisions after being overlooked once again despite his consistent performances in Europe.
In an interview, the Ghanaian winger, who has been featuring regularly in the UEFA Champions League and Europa League, said he is hurt by the continuous snub, especially when players with little to no impact at club level are preferred ahead of him.
“If it’s not my time to be called up, why did they call me when I was 18? I came to prove to Ghanaians that I could do it. So why wasn’t I called up again after that?” Tekpetey asked.
Tekpetey, who earned his Black Stars debut as a teenager, believes his current form deserves a recall. He has been scoring goals and providing assists for Bulgarian champions Ludogorets, yet he continues to be left out of recent squads.
“When you’re playing in Europe, competing in the Champions League or Europa League, scoring goals and providing assists, but the national team comes around and you’re overlooked for players from Slovakia, Cyprus or the Czech Republic who have zero goals and assists, how would you feel? You would feel very bad,” he said.
His comments have sparked massive debate among Ghanaian football fans, with many calling for transparency and fairness in Black Stars call-ups.
Tekpetey’s outburst adds to growing concerns about selection criteria under the current technical team, as Ghana continues its rebuild ahead of major tournaments.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
Former Ghanaian international defender Jonathan Mensah has announced his retirement from professional football after a career spanning several countries and more than a decade with the Black Stars.
The 35-year-old made the announcement in an emotional retirement message, reflecting on his journey from Ghana to playing professionally in South Africa, Italy, Spain, France, Russia and the United States.
Mensah described representing Ghana as the greatest honour of his career, highlighting his contribution to the country’s U20 team that won the African Championship and FIFA U20 World Cup.
He recalled representing the senior national team at multiple Africa Cup of Nations tournaments and two FIFA World Cups, earning 70 international caps in the process.
Throughout his club career, the defender featured for several teams, including Ashanti Gold, Free State Stars, Udinese, Granada, Evian Thonon Gaillard, FC Anzhi Makhachkala, Columbus Crew, San Jose Earthquakes and New England Revolution.
He expressed gratitude to his former teammates, coaches, managers and supporters, particularly the Columbus Crew family in Ohio, which he described as a home for himself and his family.
Mensah acknowledged the sacrifices of his wife, children, parents and siblings, saying their support had been instrumental throughout his football journey.
Although he is bringing his playing career to an end, the former Black Stars defender said he intends to remain involved in football through youth development, community service and mentoring the next generation.
He added that his passion for football would continue as he looks forward to serving others and making an impact beyond the game.
“The boots may be hung up, but the mission continues,” he wrote.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The Black Stars will hold their final training session in Accra on Tuesday afternoon before travelling to Sekondi for their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying double-header against Somalia.
The session, scheduled for the Accra Sports Stadium, will involve all invited players as Acting Head Coach Kim Lars Björkegren and his technical team fine-tune tactics ahead of the trip to the Western Region.
Ghana opened camp in Accra on Sunday, November 8, 2026, with players reporting in batches. The team has since focused on building fitness and sharpening up for the two crucial Group C fixtures.
The Black Stars will host Somalia in the first leg on Thursday, November 12, 2026, at the Essipong Sports Stadium in Sekondi-Takoradi. The return fixture will also be played at the same venue on Monday, November 16, 2026. Both matches kick off at 3:00pm GMT.
The double-header is a must-win for Ghana, who are seeking to revive their qualifying campaign after losing their opening two matches, a 2-0 defeat to Cote d’Ivoire in Bouake and a 4-2 loss to The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Maximum points against Somalia will be crucial to keeping Ghana’s hopes of qualifying for AFCON 2027 alive.
The trip also marks the Black Stars’ return to the Essipong Stadium, which recently received temporary approval from CAF to host the matches.
The team is expected to depart Accra for Sekondi immediately after Tuesday’s training session to continue preparations at the match venue.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
