It’s possible if Antoine did it – Antoine Semenyo’s Mother to diaspora parents on playing for Ghana
The mother of Ghana and Manchester City forward Antoine Semenyo has made a passionate appeal to Ghanaian parents living abroad, urging them to encourage their children to represent Ghana despite the emotional and cultural challenges that often come with dual nationality.
Speaking at a public event, Dela Dzebu reflected on the long and difficult journey that led her son to choose the Black Stars over England, describing it as a deeply emotional process filled with uncertainty, identity struggles and sacrifice.
“I don’t even have words because it’s been a very, very long journey, but it’s been amazing as well,” she said.
“I’m here today to tell parents: it’s possible if Antoine did it.”
Dzebu admitted that raising young footballers in the diaspora comes with pressures many people do not fully understand.
“Trust me, it’s hard. If anybody says it’s been easy, it’s not easy. But it’s possible. It is very possible,” she added.
She recounted the defining moment when her son asked whether he should commit his international future to England or Ghana, a conversation she says left her momentarily speechless.
“I said, ‘You have to play for Ghana.’ He asked why. Then I didn’t have any words,” she recalled.
“I was like, ‘Oh God, in Ghana nothing works.’ He said, ‘If nothing works, why do I have to play for Ghana?’”
But for Dzebu, the answer was never about facilities or glamour. It was about identity, belonging and heritage.
“You would feel proud to be part of the Ghanaian journey,” she told him.
“Football in the UK, for me, is about the boots. Football in Ghana is about blood, it’s about pride, it’s about legacy, it’s about your roots.”
She described the overwhelming pride she felt watching her son wear the Black Stars jersey for the first time, calling it a moment beyond words.
“As a parent, what you feel when he wears his jersey for the first time and the crowd is roaring, you cannot put it into words. It’s amazing.”
Dzebu also highlighted the internal conflict many children born and raised abroad experience while balancing two identities and cultures.
“The kids we raise here are conflicted because there are two nationalities, different cultures,” she said.
“As a parent, you don’t want to come across as pushy. But you need to encourage them. They don’t always see that side, the pride, the roots, where you come from.”
She ended her remarks with a heartfelt message to parents and young players facing similar decisions.
“Listen, you will never regret it. It’s amazing on a very grand scale.”
Her comments have since struck a chord with many across the Ghanaian diaspora, adding a powerful voice to ongoing conversations about national identity, football loyalty and the growing influence of diaspora talent in African football.
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