Ghanaian footballer Thomas Partey believes that despite his recent absence from the Black Stars, he still possesses the experience necessary to mentor and guide the younger players to reach their full potential.
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Partey is set to lead his nation in the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against Mali and the Central African Republic (CAR) as the captain, following the exclusion of regular skipper Andre Ayew from the squad.
The 30-year-old hasn’t featured for the national team in several months, having missed out on both the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and the international friendlies against Nigeria and Uganda in March.
Now fully recovered from his injury setbacks, Partey has been included in Otto Addo’s squad for this month’s World Cup qualifiers.
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Given his experience and stature, the Arsenal midfielder is entrusted with the role of leading the team on the field, especially as Addo’s side is currently one of the youngest teams on the continent.
“We have to do our best to stop Mali, stop their best players and concentrate on the way we play to get the result we want,” he said, as quoted by 3Sports.
Partey, however, is confident that he possesses the necessary experience to captain the Black Stars and motivate the young players to showcase their best performances.
“I know I haven’t played recently for the team but I have played a lot of matches for the Black Stars since my debut. I know the system the coach wants and I have the experience to help the young group of players to get the kind of result we want.”
Meanwhile, Ghana is scheduled to take on Mali at the Stade du 26 Mars in Bamako today, Thursday, June 6, 2024, precisely at 19:00 GMT.
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