West Ham United midfielder Mohammed Kudus will captain Ghana in their upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers double-header against Sudan, head coach Otto Addo announced on Wednesday.
Addo, speaking in a pre-match conference at the Accra Sports Stadium, selected the 24-year-old to lead the Black Stars for the first time against Sudan’s Falcons of Jediane.
All three captains of the Ghanaian team are currently unavailable: team captain Andrew Ayew has not received a national team call-up since March, Daniel Amartey was dropped for the games against Sudan, and Thomas Partey pulled out of the squad earlier this week due to a medical issue.
It was critical to choose a new recipient of the armband, and Kudus has been handed the mantle to lead the team as they look to rectify their sluggish start in the AFCON qualifiers.
✨ Starboy = Skipper ©️🫡️#BlackStars | #AFCONQ2025 pic.twitter.com/gIwApQ79j8
— 🇬🇭 Black Stars (@GhanaBlackstars) October 9, 2024
Kudus’ selection, however, comes as a shock to some people, who thought Jordan Ayew was next in line, seeing as he had led the team out on some occasions when the captains are unavailable.
The former Ajax man has played 36 matches for Ghana, notching up 11 goals and providing four assists.
The Black Stars, third in Group F, will host second-placed Sudan on Thursday, October 10, at the Accra Sports Stadium, before heading to Libya for the reverse fixture five days later.
