Kurt Okraku Confirms June 1 Announcement for Ghana’s World Cup Squad
The President of the Ghana Football Association, Kurt Okraku, has confirmed that Ghana’s squad for the FIFA World Cup will be announced on June 1 following the Black Stars’ 2-0 defeat to Mexico in an international friendly on Saturday.
Despite the result, Okraku maintained that the exercise achieved its intended objective, particularly in providing exposure for emerging players and members of the national U-23 team ahead of the Olympic qualifiers.
In a Facebook post after the match, Okraku wrote: “Objective accomplished! This event has provided significant stage exposure for the majority of our U-23 players, who will soon assemble for the Olympic qualifiers, as well as other players who had limited playing time. The World Cup squad announcement is scheduled for June 1. Let’s maintain our collective support for our stars, he added”.
According to the GFA President, the friendly offered Ghana an important opportunity to assess players who are not regular members of the senior national team.
“This presents a considerable chance for our U-23 squad to garner essential experience, as they are not typically involved in matches of such high stature, thereby allowing them to gain priceless exposure,” he stated.
Okraku also noted that the technical team benefited from closely monitoring players who had previously only been observed through scouting reports.
“Furthermore, it offers a substantial opportunity for us to evaluate players with whom we may be less acquainted, having perhaps only previously known them through reports,” he explained.
Ghana fielded a youthful side against Mexico, with several fringe and home based players given the chance to impress ahead of the upcoming FIFA World Cup.
Okraku acknowledged the difficulty of assembling a largely inexperienced squad within a short period but urged supporters to focus on the positives from the encounter.
“Given the team’s limited time together, it’s clear that integrating the team’s efforts will be a challenge. Nonetheless, we will emphasize the positives from this match. Next stop, Wales,” he posted.
The GFA President further praised the young talents in the squad, describing them as players who require patience, development and long term support.
“Today our emphasis is on the talented young players who have showcased impressive football skills, a team comprised of exceptional talents that require collective nurturing along our designated pathway to attain their objectives,” he added.
Ghana will now shift focus to their next international friendly against Wales as preparations continue for the FIFA World Cup, with anticipation building ahead of the official squad announcement on June 1.
