Why Mohammed Kudus was absent from Black Stars’ training despite being in Ghana – GFA explains

The Black Stars held their first training session on Monday, March 17, 2025, at the Accra Sports Stadium as they prepare for two crucial games against Chad and Madagascar, scheduled for March 21 and 24, respectively.

Despite the significance of the games, only nine players attended, sparking outrage among fans, particularly after noticing that Mohammed Kudus, who arrived in the country a day earlier, was absent from training.

However, during an interview with Sporty FM, Asante Twum revealed that although the West Ham forward was available, head coach Otto Addo decided to exempt him.

“Kudus arrived on Sunday. He was in camp, but Otto Addo excused him from the first day’s training,” he said.

Among the players in attendance were goalkeepers Benjamin Asare (Accra Hearts of Oak), Lawrence Ati-Zigi (St. Gallen), and Joseph Wollacott (Crawley Town).

The training session also featured defenders Kamaradini Mamoud (Medeama SC), Mohammed Salisu (AS Monaco), Gideon Mensah (Auxerre), and Razak Simpson (Nations FC).

Premier League players Kamaldeen Sulemana (Southampton FC) and Antoine Semenyo (AFC Bournemouth) were also part of the team.

Meanwhile, watch Black Stars’ first training session ahead of Chad game