In a recent interview, former Great Olympics player Korley Laryea made a passionate appeal for the inclusion of local players in the Black Stars, Ghana’s national football team.
Laryea believes that giving opportunities to players from the local league will not only benefit the team but also attract more fans to the stadiums during matches.
Laryea emphasized that there are talented players in the local league who deserve a chance to showcase their skills on the national stage. He pointed out that having local players in the Black Stars would create more excitement and draw larger crowds to matches, especially during critical games such as when Hearts of Oak play Asante Kotoko.
“When Hearts are playing Kotoko and have about two players in the national team, it will bring the crowd to come and watch the match,” Laryea explained. “If Kotoko has about two or three players in the national team, Bofoakwa as well, they call supporters from home to come and watch the matches. Our local players are also good.”
As Ghana’s national team, the Black Stars are gearing up for upcoming matches against Mali and Central African Republic in the qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, set to take place in June.
With these games on the horizon, fans are eager to see if Coach Otto Addo will heed Laryea’s advice and give some of the local players a chance to represent their country on the international stage.
