Former Ghana Football Association (GFA) Communications Director, Ibrahim Sannie Daara, says the case of Kevin-Prince Boateng’s short-lived commitment to the Black Stars has contributed to a growing trend of foreign-born players delaying their decision to play for Ghana until major tournaments approach.
Sannie Daara, appearing on Good Evening Ghana on Metro TV on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, said Kevin-Prince Boateng’s opportunistic approach to national duty created a damaging example that continues to influence how dual-national players view the Black Stars.
“It is what has led to the growth in the number of players not wanting to commit early, only wanting to commit when the World Cup is here,” he said.
Sannie, who was instrumental in Boateng’s nationality switch from Germany to Ghana ahead of the 2010 World Cup, admitted that he now regrets championing that move.
“I regret it because I did it with all my heart and my mind,” he said. “I was then working at the BBC and I took it upon myself that he was a good player. I needed to support the system. At that time, the FA was, you know, ‘what if, what if.’ But I had to exert some pressure on the president and a few others and the switch went through.”
However, he said Boateng’s commitment turned out to be shallow, citing how the player skipped key qualifiers but appeared for glamorous friendlies.
“Do you know that Kevin has not played in any AFCON qualifier?” he said.
“We were going to play DR Congo away, a very difficult game. He didn’t show up because he claimed he was injured. Three days later we were playing England, he turned up saying he wanted to play. The players revolted, and he was sent away.”
According to Sannie Daara, that incident revealed an opportunistic mindset, one that has since been mirrored by a new generation of foreign-born footballers of Ghanaian descent.
“If I reflect and see what happened subsequently, the fact that he won’t play in a qualifier but would turn up for a big friendly. It looked too opportunistic in my liking,” he said.
“Since then, it’s been the same story,” he said.
Kevin-Prince Boateng scored one of Ghana’s most memorable goals at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, but Sannie believes the long-term benefit was minimal.
“After one tournament, he disappeared,” he said.
The former GFA spokesman said Ghana’s current struggle to convince dual-nationality players to commit early, such as Callum Hudson-Odoi and Eddie Nketiah, can be traced back to how cases like Boateng’s were handled.
“These players now wait until the World Cup is near before showing interest. Meanwhile, our coaches and FA officials have been making efforts for years,” he said.
“Even Kwesi Appiah, Chris Hughton, and Otto Addo all reached out, and they said no. Now, when their careers are in a corner, they want to come.”
Sannie said Ghana must learn from the past and take a firm stance to protect the integrity of the national team.
