Partey will captain his country for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against Mali and the Central African Republic (CAR) after regular skipper Andre Ayew was dropped from the squad.
The 30-year-old hasn’t played for the national team in months and missed the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as well as the international friendlies against Nigeria and Uganda in March.
Having now recovered from his injury problems, Partey was named in Otto Addo’s squad for this month’s World Cup qualifiers.
The Arsenal midfielder is, therefore, tasked with the responsibility of leading the team on the pitch, with Addo’s side currently one of the youngest teams on the continent.
Partey is, however, of the view that he has the required experience to lead the Black Stars and inspire the young players to produce their best.
“We have to do our best to stop Mali, stop their best players and concentrate on the way we play to get the result we want,” he said, as quoted by 3Sports.
“I know I haven’t played recently for the team but I have played a lot of matches for the Black Stars since my debut. I know the system the coach wants and I have the experience to help the young group of players to get the kind of result we want.”
Meanwhile, Ghana will face Mali at the Stade du 26 Mars in Bamako today, Thursday, June 6, 2024, at exactly 19:00 GMT.