2026 World cup: Pick winners, not favourites – Masahudu Alhassan tells Otto Addo
27th January 2026
Former Ghana defender Masahudu Alhassan has called on Black Stars head coach Otto Addo to make bold and pragmatic choices as he prepares his squad for the 2026 Fifa World Cup, insisting that pedigree and impact should matter more than past involvement in qualification.
Ghana, four-time African champions, will be appearing at the World Cup for the fifth time when the tournament kicks off this summer across the United States, Canada and Mexico. After securing qualification, attention has now shifted to squad selection, a debate sharpened by reports that several players are seeking to switch allegiance to represent the Black Stars.
While some fans and pundits have argued that only those who featured in the qualification campaign should be rewarded with places in the final squad, Alhassan believes such sentiment could harm Ghana’s chances on the global stage.
“Coach Otto Addo should put aside his personal interests and select players who can help Ghana achieve success at the World Cup, regardless of whether they played in the qualifiers,” Alhassan said in an interview on Asempa FM’s Prep Zone.
The former defender, who was part of Ghana’s squad at the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, stressed that the World Cup demands the highest possible level of quality, experience and mental strength, particularly for a team eager to move beyond recent disappointments.
The Black Stars exited at the group stage in both Brazil 2014 and Qatar 2022, results that have left supporters craving a deeper run at football’s biggest tournament. This time, Ghana face a demanding Group L assignment, opening their campaign against Panama on 17 June in Toronto, before taking on England in Boston and Croatia in Philadelphia on 27 June.
With those challenges in mind, Alhassan’s message is clear: sentiment must give way to ambition.
Otto Addo is expected to name his final squad on 1 June, a decision that will be closely scrutinised as Ghana look to balance loyalty with the pressing need to compete and make a stronger impression on the world stage.