Ghana and Halmstad defender, Phil Ofosu-Ayeh, has advised Ghanaian players of foreign descent to always follow their hearts in deciding which country they would want to represent at the international level.
The German born-Ghanaian switched nationality to play for the Black Stars in 2015 under head coach Kwesi Appiah.
He made his debut for the Black Stars in an international friendly against Canada in Washington, USA in a friendly game.
Following reports of the Ghana Football Association chasing some Ghanaian players of foreign descent to switch nationality ahead of the World Cup, Ofosu-Ayeh has advised these players to consider the culture and listen to their heart.
“You just have to listen to your heart. There are many players who can choose between two countries or even three countries. This is something you should decide on what your heart is telling you”, he told Ohene-Bampoe Brenya on Happy Sports Where Are They Program? On Happy 98.9FM
According to Ofosu-Ayeh, he decided to represent Ghana because football is what gets the people excited.
“I think when I see the culture in Germany and Ghana, football is so much for the people in Ghana. The excitement is crazy for the people in Ghana and I wanted to be a part of it. To make people happy. I choose Ghana and it’s so much more.
“When I had my first invitation in 2015 I felt that. We played Comoros Island at home, the stadium was full but I didn’t even play. I saw the faces of people. It was the best experience for me. I just hope to get back to the big stage. I will say it’s one of the best in my career. It is always an honor to represent your country. Not everybody gets that opportunity. I remember when we played against Canada in Washington it was an amazing feeling and I will keep that in my mind forever”.
The Black Stars have qualified for the 2022 World Cup and there are reports of a possible switch of nationalities by some Ghanaian players of foreign descent.
Happyghana reported about Callum Hudson-Odoi and Eddie Nketiah are among some players set to switch their nationalities to play for Ghana at the World Cup.