Augustine Boakye and Ebenezer Annan, the Ghanaian duo key to AS Saint-Étienne’s success, are getting contrasting treatment from the Black Stars national team.
While Annan shone in October 2025 during the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, Boakye has been left out of the March 17, 2026 squad list for the upcoming friendlies and qualifiers—a blow for the Greens, currently 8th in Ligue 2. This unexpected snub for the 22-year-old midfielder, a core playmaker known for his runs and vision, raises questions about his form and international ambitions just eight months before the World Cup. Head coach Otto Addo, under pressure after a disappointing 2025 AFCON, has opted for players based abroad—like those from Ajax and Bayer Leverkusen—relegating Boakye to the sidelines despite his solid Ligue 2 stats (70% pass accuracy, 2.5 tackles per game). Annan, 23, a homegrown talent with five league goals this season, has fared much better. Called up last October and starting against Comoros (1-0) on October 12, 2025, he helped seal Ghana’s qualification at the top of Group I with 25 points—clear leaders. Ghana, heading to its fifth recent World Cup appearance, will face Panama, England, and Croatia in 2026. For ASSE, Boakye’s exclusion is a psychological setback in their push for the playoffs. Club figure Bernard Kilmer lamented: “They deserved the spotlight—our return to Ligue 1 depends on it.” Supporters fear a potential dip in morale, although the duo remains reliable at club level despite mixed international performances (notably the 2–1 loss to Egypt in November). Annan and Boakye, both under contract until 2028, represent the strong “Ghanaian connection” that arrived at the club in 2024–2025. Still, there’s a glimmer of hope: an explosive second half of the season in green could earn Boakye a recall by June. ASSE, in the meantime, will look to fully unleash its young stars in pursuit of promotion. Ghana, by leaving out its Ligue 2 talents, may come to regret this bold choice before the USA–Mexico–Canada World Cup. The Greens now aim to turn this bitter pill into renewed fuel for their return to the elite.