CF Montreal striker Prince Osei Owusu opened up on his “emotional” nationality switch ahead of a potential showdown against his birth nation.
Owusu has revealed that a desire to honour his family’s heritage was the driving force behind his decision to represent Ghana, despite a decorated youth career in the German national setup.
The 29-year-old forward, born and raised in Germany to Ghanaian parents, was a mainstay for various German youth teams during his formative years.
However, the striker successfully completed a nationality switch last year, eventually making his senior debut for the Black Stars against Japan in the Kirin Cup.
Speaking exclusively to GhanaSoccernet, Owusu explained that while the decision required thought, the pull of his ancestral roots ultimately proved irresistible.
“To be honest, it was a longer thought for me to play for my roots,” Owusu said. “I think players—it doesn’t matter where you were born—I think you should represent the roots of your family and for me it was pretty clear I wanted to play for Ghana and represent Ghana and this makes my family proud.”
The timing of Owusu’s revelation is particularly poignant. The CF Montreal frontman is widely expected to be named in the Ghana squad for this month’s high-profile international friendlies against Germany and Austria.
The fixture against Die Mannschaft offers a unique narrative: Owusu facing the very nation that honed his skills in their elite academy systems. It is a moment he describes as a career milestone.
“For me, it is a very special game,” Owusu admitted. “It will be a very, very big day for me and my family and also my friends, but it’s all in God’s hands and if I am invited, I will be glad and happy but also I am focused to do a big performance and help the team.”
Owusu heads into the international break in clinical form. Having finished as Montreal’s top scorer last season, he opened his account for the new Major League Soccer (MLS) campaign on Sunday, 8 March, contributing to a dominant victory over the New York Red Bulls.
National team coach Otto Addo is expected to announce his final squad shortly, with Owusu’s physicality and recent goal-scoring exploits making him a strong candidate to lead the line for the four-time African champions.
