Jonathan Mensah affirms Black Stars availability and believes MLS is not weak

Ghana international Jonathan Mensah believes playing in Major League Soccer (MLS) has contributed to his struggles for call-ups to the Black Stars.

The 30-year-old Columbus Crew captain, who once featured for French side Evian, has not been called up for national duty since playing at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

His snub has prompted calls for retirement from the national team, a suggestion he recently swatted aside, re-affirming his commitment to the Black Stars.

“Looking back at my career in France, one of the top leagues in the world, I was in a tough situation at that time with a couple of injuries,” Mensah told Citi TV.

“I played just about 50 games in my four or five years in France. But I still played lots of games with the national team, because wherever there was a call up I was always fit,” he said.

“I’ve played over 100 games during my time in the MLS and I haven’t received too many call ups. I really don’t know where talk of the league being weak is coming from. I don’t believe that narrative."

Mensah made his international debut in 2009 and has gone on to represent Ghana at six Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) tournaments and two World Cup gatherings.

He currently has over 60 appearances for the Black Stars.

“My doors are wide open to the national team always. I’m never going to retire from international football," Mensah earlier told Angel FM.

“I don’t even have the ink in my pen to write and announce a retirement.

"Even if I’m done with club football and am needed by Ghana at 40, I will avail myself.

“Even the likes of Roger Milla and Flavio Amado were grown and unattached yet they still played for their national teams.”

Mensah joined South African side Free State Stars from Ashanti Gold in 2008 before signing for Italian side Udinese in 2010 after helping Ghana win the 2009 U20 Afcon and Fifa U20 World Cup.

While with the Serie A outfit, he moved to Spanish club Granada on loan, from where he transferred to Evian in 2011 for a five-year spell.

He spent the 2016 season with Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala before heading for Columbus Crew in 2017.