Photo Credit - Ghana Black Stars.
Former Ghana midfielder Hamza Mohammed has backed any of the three locally based players in the Black Stars squad to earn a starting role in 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Hearts of Oak goalkeeper Benjamin Asare, defenders Kamaradini Mamudu and Razak Simpson of Medeama and Nations FC respectively are the home based stars invited by head coach, Otto Addo for the clashes against Chad and Madagascar.
Razak Simpson of Nations FC made his Black Stars debut in the 2025 AFCON qualifiers against Sudan and Niger where the four time African champions failed to qualify for the main tournament in Morocco this year.
However with Lawrence Ati-Zigi ready to start in post and the return of Alexander Djiku and Mohamed Salisu, it is unlikely any of the Ghana Premier League defenders will get a starting berth.
Hamza Mohammed, who was a member of Ghana’s AFCON squad at the 2002 and the 2006 AFCON squad is hoping any of the home based stars slots into coach Otto Addo’s starting lineup.
“Any time there is call up, we don’t see the locally based players and even if they are called, they have not been used," he told Radio Gold Sports.
“I am especially happy about this Medeama SC defender, Kamaradini Mamudu, he has been wonderful. I hope that he will show up so that they can give some competition to the foreign players just as it used to be before. You could not differentiate between the foreign players and the local players.
“They should give them that competition that they will pave the way for those who have not been called up, so I just hope these players will pave the way for the other players to have the opportunity next call up.”
The four African champions started training on Monday at the Accra Sports Stadium with nine players showing up. The players who attended the first training session included Mohammed Salisu, Gideon Mensah, Kamaldeen Sulemana, Joseph Wollacott, Lawrence Ati-Zigi and Antoine Semenyo with the three locals, goalkeeper Benjamin Asare, Razak Simpson and Kamaradini Mamudu completing the number.
Ghana will host Chad at the Accra Sports Stadium on Friday, March 21 before traveling to Morocco to battle Madagascar on March 24 for an automatic place at the mundial to be hosted by Mexico, Canada and USA.
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