AmaZulu and Ghana goalkeeper Richard Ofori has revealed his ambitions to go play at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.
Ghana are one of the nine African sides confirmed to participate at the event after finishing top of qualifying Group I with 25 points in their 10 matches.
Ofori wasn’t part of the Black Stars side that qualified with his last appearance in the national team coming at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Ivory Coast where Ghana exited the tournament early.
Speaking to the media ahead of AmaZulu’s Betway Premiership match with Durban City the former Orlando Pirates man expressed joy at Ghana qualifying for their fifth World Cup, while congratulating those that made it possible.
Ofori further admitted that he has his own ambitions to be on the plane to North America next year but he knows he needs to stay a regular at his club first.
“Yeah I’m still playing,” said Ofori.
“So I’m working hard and then focusing on my team at the moment. That’s what you need to do for you to be there, because you can’t sit on the bench, or you can’t sit and then just wake up and go.
“So I’m working hard in my team to help my team in the league, and then the rest will take over.”
He also admitted that he hasn’t spoken to Ghana coach Otto Addo recently, and whatever happens next year he will support the Black Stars.
“Recently no [haven’t spoken to the coach] but before, he used to call me, and he’s a good man, so he used to check up on his players. He hasn’t abandoned any player, but we focus more on the ones that they are playing, because the World Cup qualifiers were so intense.
“So sometimes you need to just congratulate them or say encouragement towards to them. And then we try to push the guys to do the work because irrespective of anything, we are Ghanaians and that’s the same goal that everyone must have because that’s the country where we are coming from.
“So we need to support the team and then we need to push the team in one direction. He’s a good man, and I know everything will be fine and everything will go well.”