Ghana’s President His Excellency Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo, has urged the country’s Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif to as a matter of urgency, ‘explore the possibility’ of have Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi switch nationality to play for the Black Stars.
The winger, who’s capped three times by England, is still eligible to switch to Ghana after the eligibility rules were revised by FIFA.
The rule states that:
Players can now switch national teams provided they are eligible to represent them as long as they have played no more than three matches (including friendlies), none of the matches were in the final tournament of the FIFA World Cup or confederation competition, and they all happened before the player turned 21.
The 20-year-old who is currently in Ghana enjoying the summer holidays, took the opportunity to pay a courtesy call to the President.
”On Monday, 7th June 2021, Ghanaian-born Chelsea footballer, Callum Hudson-Odoi, paid a courtesy call on me at Jubilee House, the seat of our nation’s presidency. Amongst others, I urged the Minister for Youth and Sports to explore the possibility of having Callum switch nationality, and play for the Black Stars.” the President wrote on Facebook.
The promising winger has represented England at the U16, U17, U18, U19, U21 and senior teams, but can still choose to play for Ghana.
Meanwhile, the Chelsea academy graduate addressing Chelsea fans in Ghana at Alisa Hotel on Sunday said: “I think obviously when you’re young, you have the opportunity to play for England throughout all the years, from under 15 to under 16 all the way up. When they obviously gave me the opportunity to come I was in the country already. It’s something that I already had in my mind, set on already playing for England.”
He added that: “So it was the thing obviously choosing Ghana or England, and at the end of the day I said I always had the right people around me who always advise me – what’s right, what’s wrong. England came and I said yeah, let me go and play for my country. But I said Ghana is my home as well, so we’ll see, we’ll see. You’ll never know, so.”
Hudson-Odoi was part of the Chelsea team to win the Champions League. He’s the youngest player to ever win both the Champions League and Europa League.
