GFA handled Black Stars’ captaincy transition horribly – Sulley Muntari

Former Ghana international Sulley Muntari has criticized the Ghana Football Association (GFA) for its chaotic management of the Black Stars’ captaincy during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, describing the handling as “horribly” managed.

This criticism arose after a controversial leadership change occurred following regular captain Thomas Partey’s withdrawal due to injury. The captaincy was first assigned to Mohammed Kudus and later shifted to Jordan Ayew.

Head coach Otto Addo initially appointed West Ham United midfielder Kudus as captain for Ghana’s October 2024 qualifier against Sudan. However, for subsequent matches against Angola and Niger, Addo reassigned the captaincy to Ayew.

These sudden changes led to widespread confusion, and many attribute the team’s disjointed performances to poor leadership decisions, which ultimately contributed to their failure to qualify for AFCON 2025.

Muntari, a veteran of the 2010 World Cup, condemned the GFA, stating, “It was [handled] horribly. It is the FA. They can’t control themselves; that’s why that happened. Usually, the armband is handed to the most experienced one.”

As Ghana shifts its focus to the 2026 World Cup qualifiers starting in March 2024, there are increasing calls for clearer leadership protocols to prevent further discord within the national team.