Former Ghana midfielder Michael Essien has strongly rejected the notion that players born abroad struggle to perform for the Black Stars due to not “fitting in” or lacking understanding of Ghanaian culture.
Essien, who has been a cornerstone of Ghana’s football history, expressed his frustration with this criticism, particularly aimed at Spain-born striker Iñaki Williams and London-born forward Antoine Semenyo. Despite Williams’ impressive club career with Athletic Bilbao, he has only managed to score once for the national team since his debut in 2022. Similarly, Semenyo has faced doubts over his performances on the international stage.
In an interview with Sporty FM, Essien dismissed these claims as unfounded. “Sometimes we are funny. When we see these Ghanaians born in Europe, we invite them, and then when things are not going well, we say, ‘Oh, they don’t fit in; they don’t know our culture.’ For me, that’s a bit b**t,” he said bluntly, highlighting how such criticisms miss the mark.
The criticism directed at players like Williams and Semenyo appears to create barriers for some dual-nationality players who may hesitate to commit to the national team due to fears of cultural incompatibility. Nevertheless, Ghana continues to attract talented players with connections to the country, even in the face of such challenges.
Essien’s comments are likely to resonate with many fans, given his decorated career, which includes Premier League titles and a Champions League victory with Chelsea. His experience both as a key player for the Black Stars and at the highest levels of club football lends weight to his argument that such cultural concerns are not the real issue behind players’ performances.
