Former Black Stars defender, Illiasu Shilla, has expressed concerns that the recent captaincy change in the national team could create division among the players ahead of the March 2025 World Cup qualifiers.
Reports suggest that Jordan Ayew has been appointed as captain, taking over from Thomas Partey. Shilla believes this transition could lead to tension, as both players have close circles within the squad. The Black Stars’ captaincy has historically been a source of controversy, sometimes affecting team morale and performance.
“For the old players, our fear and our worry is that if care is not taken, it will come to a time that the team will be divided into two because whether we like it or not, Partey has his own—I’m not going to say a camp or maybe his people; but the reality is that when you are in a national team, you have people that you always go to. So me, I don’t have any problem with the coach giving the captain’s armband to Jordan,” Shilla stated.
With the World Cup qualifiers fast approaching, there is growing interest in how the squad will respond to Ayew’s leadership.
Ghana, having failed to qualify for the 2025 AFCON, is now focused on securing a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Black Stars will host Chad on March 21st at the Accra Sports Stadium, before traveling to face Madagascar on March 24th.
