Arsenal Midfielder Thomas Partey Snubbed from Ghana Squad for Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers
Ghana’s football team has made a surprise decision to exclude Arsenal’s Thomas Partey from their squad for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Angola and Niger. The move comes just days after Partey helped Arsenal secure a vital draw against Chelsea.
This means Partey will be unavailable for Ghana’s must-win 2025 AFCON qualification matches, starting with the match against Angola on November 15, followed by a clash with Niger on November 18. Ghana’s head coach, Otto Addo, has declined to disclose the reasons behind Partey’s omission from the squad.
Partey, 31, has been a key player for Ghana, with 13 goals in 49 appearances, and was expected to play a crucial role in the country’s qualification quest. However, Coach Addo has maintained that his decision is confidential and hopes Partey will return to the team in March for World Cup qualifying matches.
In a significant development, Leicester City forward Jordan Ayew has been appointed as Ghana’s captain for the upcoming qualifiers, replacing West Ham United midfielder Mohammed Kudus, who previously held the role.
Ghana’s decision to leave out Partey has sparked concerns about their chances of qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations finals for the first time since 2004. Currently, they have only secured two points from four matches in Group F, leaving them in third place. To revive their hopes of qualifying for the 2025 tournament in Morocco, Ghana must secure victories in their upcoming matches, including a crucial away match against group leaders Angola and a home win against Niger.
