Amid ongoing media speculations regarding his purported discontent during the 2023 AFCON in Ivory Coast, Daniel Amartey, the Ghanaian footballer, has taken the opportunity to address the rumors of his supposed frustration with playing time and team dynamics.
Before the crucial final group match against Mozambique, reports emerged suggesting that Amartey had deleted all Black Stars-related pictures from his Instagram account, fueling speculation about his dissatisfaction.
The situation escalated, after the 2-2 draw with Mozambique, he was captured on camera removing his jersey, going partly naked, and leaving only his pants – a move that sparked various interpretations and discussions.
Addressing the media and fans, Amartey began by dismissing the notion that lack of playing time had caused him anger. He emphasized the importance of maintaining professionalism in the face of such challenges.
“It’s childish for any professional player to be angry over perceived lack of playing time. Not having the selection to play on the pitch is no reason to harbor resentment,” Amartey stated. He went on to explain that he isn’t a frequent user of social media, and the perceived deletion of Black Stars-related pictures was unrelated to any discontent.
“People who follow me are aware that I’m not used to posting regularly on social media. After all, playing time is solely the responsibility of the coach and the technical team. They decide to select players on the field, and I respect that,” he continued.
Amartey acknowledged that while he believes he was given sufficient time on the field during the tournament, things didn’t unfold as expected. He remained proud of representing his country and assured fans that he would gladly honor any future opportunities to don the national jersey.
“When given the next opportunity, I will gladly honor that. I am proud of my country, and my commitment remains steadfast. Sometimes, in football, things don’t go as planned, but that doesn’t diminish the pride and honor of representing Ghana,” Amartey concluded.
