The young local forward has become the first footballer to earn a call-up to the Black Stars whiles playing in the lowest possible level of club football, Ghana’s third tier. Unattached players are excluded but of players playing in clubs, Jerry Afriyie has become the first to get Black Stars call-up from the lowest tier, emerging from Ghana’s third tier side Thought FC.
Ghana forward Jerry Afriyie’s call-up to the Black Stars in the second game in November’s International break has make a remarkable history in Ghana football.
Ghana host Niger at the Accra Sports Stadium in the final qualifying game of the Morocco 2025 African Cup of Nations. Ghana could have been primarily targeting a win to secure a place in the edition in Morocco but the Black Stars awkward performance in the campaign brings no value assuming Ghana beat Niger in the capital on Monday.
Ghana have suffered squad depletion following their hard fough 1-1 draw against Angola in Luanda, the match results that statistically brought Ghana’s Afcon qualifiers journey to an end.
Jordan Ayew who put Ghana ahead in the first half, but was cancelled in the second half, Gideon Mensah, Fatawu Issahaku and Alidu Seidu have been ruled out against “The Mena”.
The Ghana Football Association statement shows that Alidu Seidu and Gideon Mensah, who underwent late fitness tests before the Angola game, have been deemed unfit after post-match medical assessments.
Jordan Ayew and Abdul Fatawu Issahaku sustained injuries during the Angola match, with Ayew’s MRI scans revealing significant knee issues and Issahaku being forced off in the first half. The Leicester City duo are expected to return to their Premier League Sunday to begin rehabilitation.
Ghana boss Otto Addo has since called three local players Kamaradini Mamudu and Ebenezer Abba who play in the Ghana Premier League for Medeama Sporting Club and Heart of Lions respectively, and Jerry Afriyie who plays for Ghanaian third-tier side Thought Football Club.
Jerry Afriyie has become the first player from the Ghanaian third-tier to receive a Black Stars call-up for Confederation of African Football (CAF) sanctioned game.
Ghana have had a plethora of world-recognised footballers in history including Abedi Pele, of whom the legend is having two sons Jordan Ayew and Andre Ayew playing for the Black Stars, Tony Yeboah, Stephen Appiah, Michael Essien, Samuel Osei Kuffour, Sulley Muntari and Asamoah Gyan but none of them has received a Black Stars call-up whiles playing at this lower level in the local scene.
Jerry Afriyie has become the latest rising star in the local scene following his milestone achievements at national side helping Ghana football team at the 2024 African Games win gold medal and emerging as the top scorer of the tournament as well.
More recently, the attacker led the Ghana U20 team to qualify for the U20 Africa Cup of Nations, claiming the Goal King and Best Player awards at the WAFU Zone B Championship. The latest Black Stars acquisition grabbed five goals in five matches in the sub regional championship in Togo.
Abdul Fatawu Issahaku is immediately followed by Jerry Afriyie after Leicester City winger shining at 2021 African U-20 Championship as Ghana won the tournament and was called into the senior national team.
Issahaku was playing in the second tier, Division One, but Jerry Afriyie is playing in the third-tier for Thought Football Club.
