Ghana’s head coach, Otto Addo, has revealed that defender Baba Abdul Rahman is hesitant to rejoin the senior national team, the Black Stars.
Rahman’s absence was noticeable in the recent squad list for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Mali and the Central African Republic, where Ghana secured consecutive victories, boosting their chances of qualification.
The former Chelsea defender had previously declined to participate in national team duties ahead of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, choosing instead to focus on his club career.
During the announcement of his squad for the 2025 AFCON qualifying matches against Angola and Niger on Thursday, Otto Addo shared that Baba Rahman is still reluctant to return to the national team.
“Baba Rahman has family commitments, and last time I asked the media to ease the pressure on him, but he is still hesitant to come back due to the previous incidents. However, the door remains open for his return,” Addo stated at the press conference.
The squad features prominent players such as Thomas Partey, Mohammed Kudus, Antoine Semenyo, Mohammed Salisu, and Jordan Ayew, among others.
Notably, team captain Andre Ayew, who is currently without a club, has been left out of the squad for the second consecutive time by the team’s technical staff.
The Black Stars are set to play Angola at the Baba Yara Stadium on September 5, followed by a match against Niger in Morocco on September 9 in Berkane.
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