Ghanaian defender Baba Rahman has clarified the rationale behind his choice to withdraw from Ghana’s ultimate squad for the tournament in Ivory Coast. The PAOK Salonika left-back was notably absent when Ghana coach Chris Hughton revealed the final 27-man squad for the competition.
In a statement posted on the micro-blogging site X, the former Chelsea and Reading left-back explained that he made the decision to prioritize his career.
“Hear me out:
“I just wanted to say that the decision to opt out of the AFCON was solely based on footballing reasons and nothing else.
“Playing for my country will always be the highest point of my career and every time I have been lucky to wear the shirt, I have given my all,” his message read in part.
Baba Rahman, who has accumulated 51 caps for Ghana since his debut in 2014, has faced substantial criticism lately due to his underwhelming performances.
The player’s relationship with fans has been strained, exacerbated by former Ghana coach CK Akonnor’s statement suggesting that Rahman was selected for the national team as a form of obligation.
Baba Rahman experienced disapproval from the crowd during Ghana’s 1-0 victory over Angola at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Chris Hughton’s inaugural game as the Black Stars coach.
Ghana is set to commence their pre-tournament training camp in Kumasi on Tuesday.
The four-time African champions are scheduled to face Namibia on January 8 in their sole preparatory friendly before departing for Ivory Coast on January 10.