'If you can't sing the national anthem, you can't play for Ghana' – Mahama teases Black Stars

President John Dramani Mahama has taken a light-hearted dig at the Black Stars over their "silence" when the national anthem is being played.

Speaking to the media at the Jubilee House while reflecting on Ghana's 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign, President Mahama said he noticed that the Black Stars players stood in silence during the national anthem before matches.

He compared them to players from other nations who belted out their anthems with visible pride.

"During the World Cup, our players did not sing the national anthem. All the other players sang their national anthem with pride. Ours were quiet," he said, drawing laughter from the audience.

The President playfully stated that any player who could not sing the national anthem had no business representing Ghana on the international stage.

"It should be a qualification for playing for the national team. If you cannot sing the anthem, you cannot be in the team," he said.

Watch the video below:

🎥 🇬🇭 “During the World Cup, our players couldn’t sing the national anthem, while players from other countries sang with pride.

“If you cannot sing the anthem, you cannot be in the team.”—President Mahama takes a joking swipe at Black Stars players.#CitiSports pic.twitter.com/qKpa4XV6pM

— Citi Sports (@CitiSportsGHA) July 8, 2026