Los Angeles Galaxy winger Joseph Paintsil has slammed the decision of former Black Stars head coach Otto Addo to omit him from Ghana’s 2022 FIFA World Cup squad. (Click highlighted text to read full story)
Paintsil said this in an interview with VamosNetwork while reflecting on the infamous omission that stunned many football fans.
Ghana crashed out of the 2022 World Cup under Otto Addo and despite leading Ghana to the 2026 World Cup, the former Borussia Dortmund player was sacked as Ghana’s National Men’s Football Team head coach recently.
Otto has been replaced by Carlos Queiroz following the latter’s appointment earlier this week; Ghana has been placed in Group L with Panama, Croatia and England.
Addressing the 2022 World Cup omission, the 2024 Major League Soccer (MLS) Champion said,
Joseph Paintsil
“I was disappointed with the decision of the coach of the national team… there was no tangible, reasonable thing for me being excluded from the list.”
Otto Addo, former Head Coach of Ghana (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)
“There was no miscommunication but I think they already planned it and it was something about me, it wasn’t something about my performance…the only answer he-Otto Addo- gave is football is not about goals and assists.”
Joseph Paintsil #28; Riqui Puig #10; Dejan Jovelji #9 and Gabriel Pec #11 of Los Angeles Galaxy following the MLS Cup Final at Dignity Health Sports Park on December 7, 2024 in Carson, California. The Los Angeles Galaxy won the match 2-1 (Photo by Shaun Clark/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
“He told me that there is no reason but the only reason is I don’t defend. There was no tangible explanation and I was left behind really disappointed.”
🎥 🇬🇭 “I was disappointed to miss the 2022 World Cup, but I was told I wasn’t in the squad because I don’t defend,” — Black Stars forward Joseph Paintsil reflects on Otto Addo’s decision.#CitiSports (@VamosNetwork) pic.twitter.com/FPOixNnyHu
