Marchisio Boateng
Ghana’s rich football history has always been talked about on the world scale from the achievements from some local clubs, youth national teams and the senior national team, Black Stars.
The country can boast of some great legends and players who donned the Black Stars jersey and there are the others who refused to play for Ghana even though they have ‘Ghanaian roots’.
We take a look at the profile of thirteen of footballers who said no to Ghana and rejected the chance to play for the Black Stars.
1. Marcel Desailly
Marcel Desailly (born Odenke Abbey) is a French former footballer who played as a centre back or defensive midfielder. Marcel is popularly known for being a member of the France international squads that won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000. During a successful career at club level, lasting from 1986 to 2006, Desailly won several titles, including UEFA Champions League medals with both Marseille and A.C. Milan, and also played for Nantes and Chelsea, among others teams. At international level, he collected 116 caps between 1993 and 2004, scoring 3 goals.
2. George Boateng
George Boateng rejected the chance to play for the Black Stars and opted for the Dutch national team as he played as a defensive midfielder. Born in Nkawkaw in Ghana, after playing 70 games for Dutch giants Feyenoord Rotterdam, Boateng completed a £220,000 move to Coventry City in 1998.
3. Memphis Depay
Popularly known in Ghanaian circles as Memphis ‘Odeifuor’ Depay, he is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a forward and captains French club Lyon and plays for the Netherlands national team. He is rumoured to reject to play for Ghana owing to his Ghanaian father’s reported neglect of young Memphis.
4. Danny Welbeck
Born as Daniel Nii Tackie Mensah Welbeck, he is an English professional footballer who currently plays as a forward for Premier League club Watford and the England national team. Welbeck made his way through the youth teams at Manchester United before making his senior debut in 2008 and scoring in the process.
5. Georgino Wijnaldum
Georginio Gregion Emile Wijnaldum plays for the Dutch national team and English Premier League giants, Liverpool. Georginio was once Georginio Boateng but upon his mother’s divorce from his Ghanaian father, Georginio switched his name to his Dutch mother’s last name. Georginio is probably the most in-form player on this list.
6. Jerome Boateng
Jerome Agyenim Boateng is a German professional footballer who plays as a defender for Bayern Munich and the Germany national team. Boateng started his career at Hertha BSC where he developed from the youth ranks to the main team. His senior brother Kevin Prince Boateng opted to play for the West African country but Jerome decided otherwise and chose Die Mannschaft.
7. Gerald Asamoah
The Ghanaian-born German former footballer played as a forward for Schalke 04 and the Germany national team. Asamoah made his debut for Germany in 2001 against Slovakia making him the first African-born black player to ever play for the side. He scored on his debut and went on to play in the 2002 and 2006 World Cup tournaments.
8. Mario Balotelli
Mario Balotelli Barwuah born Mario Barwuah is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Serie A club Brescia and the Italy national team. Balotelli turned down the Ghana FA when they tried to convince him to represent the West African country back in 2011. But now racist abuse and a hostile media have left Balotelli regretting his decision.
9. Ethan Ampadu
Born Ethan Kwame Colm Raymond Ampadu, the young plays as both a central defender and a defensive midfielder for German club RB Leipzig, on loan from Chelsea and the Wales national team. He made his senior debut for Wales in November 2017 after he rejected a chance to represent the country of his father.
10. David Odonkor
David Odonkor is a German former professional footballer who played mainly as a right winger, and the current manager of TuS Dornberg. Odonkor represented the German national team in one World Cup and one European Championship.
11. Inaki Williams
Iñaki Williams Arthuer is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Athletic Bilbao as a forward. Recently approached by former coach of Black Stars, Kwesi Appiah, he rejected the chance to play for Ghana.
12. Alex Tettey
Born Alexander Banor Tettey, the robust central midfielder who was born in Ghana moved to Norway at a very young age. Alex Tettey currently plays in the English Premier League for Norwich City.
13. Callum Hudson Odoi
Last on our list is Chelsea youngster, Callum Hudson Odoi. The winger broke a 64-year-old record to become the youngest player to make his England debut in a competitive match when he came on during the Three Lions’ 5-0 win against Czech Republic. That decision ended all hopes that he will represent Ghana on the international football stage.
