Black Stars head coach Otto Addo has stirred excitement ahead of the 2025 Unity Cup in London with the announcement of a dynamic 23-man squad that blends experienced internationals with rising stars and home-grown players.
Set to face arch-rivals Nigeria on Wednesday, May 28, in the tournament’s semi-final showdown, Addo’s selection reflects a forward-looking strategy aimed at rejuvenating the national team. The squad includes four locally-based players — Benjamin Asare (Hearts of Oak), Razak Simpson (Nations FC), Kamaradini Mamudu (Medeama SC), and Kwame Opoku (Asante Kotoko) — in a rare show of confidence in domestic league talent.
Making his international debut is Joseph Tetteh Anang, a former West Ham goalkeeper currently playing for St. Patrick’s Athletic in Ireland. He joins a promising cohort of newcomers including Ghana U-20 standouts Abdul Aziz Issah and Aaron Essel, as well as the in-form Caleb Yirenkyi (FC Nordsjaelland) and Mohammed Gadafi Fuseini (Union Saint-Gilloise).
The squad also welcomes back notable names: Felix Afena Gyan returns after a two-year absence, Anderlecht’s Majeed Ashimeru is back in the fold, and Sunderland’s Abdul Samed Salis rejoins the team after recovering from injury.
Addo’s roster signals a new era of experimentation and talent development, with the Unity Cup serving as a key platform to evaluate emerging players ahead of future international competitions. With Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica also in the mix, Ghana’s opening match against Nigeria at the GTech Community Stadium could set the tone for the Black Stars’ evolution under Addo’s leadership.
