The reception Ghanaians gave me influenced my Black Stars switch – Tariq Lamptey
Brighton and Hove Albion defender Tariq Lamptey has disclosed that the hospitality of Ghanaians influenced his decision to play for the senior national team, the Black Stars.
He said Ghanaians gave him a good reception when he first visited and that swayed his decision to switch nationality from England.
During an interview on the Citi Breakfast Show, Lamptey expressed his gratitude for the warm reception he received in Ghana and acknowledged that it influenced his decision-making process.
He mentioned that while several factors contributed to his decision to play for the Black Stars, the incredible feeling he experienced when interacting with the Ghanaian people during his charity foundation work was a pivotal moment for him.
“It was a number of things that went into it but one of them was when I was doing my charity foundation last summer, and you see the people and the amazing feeling that they give you. So that obviously made the decision.
“To be fair you don’t know what to expect when you come, and it was that time of the decision and like I said it was amazing, and I’m always grateful.”
Lamptey also credited his Black Stars colleagues for his seamless transition into the senior National team and promised better things for the team in the coming years.
“It was amazing, we have a very good team, we have a mixture of some great players in Europe, it was very easy, it was like a family, and we know what we can do.”
Lamptey, who currently plays for Brighton and Hove Albion, had previously represented England at junior levels before deciding to play for Ghana.
He made his maiden World Cup appearance with the Black Stars at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
