Former Sports Minister Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye has delivered a harsh assessment of Ghana’s home-based players, insisting that none currently meet the standard required to represent the Black Stars.
His comments come at a time when the national team continues to rely heavily on foreign-based players, with Benjamin Asare emerging as one of the few consistent locally-based names in recent squads.
Speaking to Citi Sports, Vanderpuye criticised the overall quality of the Ghana Premier League, claiming performances at the domestic level fall short of international demands.
He went as far as comparing the standard of play to juvenile football, arguing that the gap between local competition and the international stage has become too wide.
“No local player has the quality to play for the Black Stars of Ghana. They play like colts players,” he stated.
Vanderpuye did not spare even top-performing domestic players, pointing out that fundamental issues remain even among the best.
“Even Benjamin Asare, whom we consider the best, has a lot of problems,” he added.
His remarks come amid growing concern over the state of Ghana football, following the Black Stars’ failure to qualify for the 2025 AFCON—their first absence in 20 years—and a drop in the FIFA rankings.
With pressure mounting on the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to improve player development structures, Vanderpuye’s comments are likely to reignite debate over the quality of the domestic league and its role in supplying talent to the national team.
