On Saturday, August 1, Arsenal defeated Chelsea 2-1 to win the FA Cup for the 14th time in their history, the most by a club in the competition’s history.
Gabonese international Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice for Arsenal, with Christian Pulisic grabbing the consolation goal for Chelsea.
England U-21 striker Eddie Nketiah, who is of a Ghanaian descendant was part of the team that achieved the feat, he came on in the 82nd minute for French striker Alexandre Lacazette.
The FA cup triumph was Nketiah’s second trophy of the season. He earned a winner’s medal after Leeds United won the Championship, the youngster spent the first half of the season on loan at Leeds.
Eddie Nketiah since returning from Leeds in January featured in 16 games in all competitions for Arsenal, scoring 4 times.
After the FA cup triumph, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) took to it official twitter handle to congratulate Nketiah after he had posted a group photo of the Arsenal team celebrating the trophy.
Congratulations @EddieNketiah9 🙌🏾 https://t.co/kIzXiw9iyu
— Ghana Football Association (@ghanafaofficial) August 1, 2020
The congratulatory message which is believed by many to be a ploy by the Ghana FA to get the youngster to play for Ghana received different reactions, with many suggesting Nketiah should snub Ghana and feature for England.
Nketiah has played for England at the U18, U19, U20 and U21 levels. He was part of the U21 team that won the Toulon Tournament in 2018.
If it could be recalled, erstwhile Black Stars manager Kwesi Appiah in January 2019 divulged that Nketiah has turned down the chance to play for Ghana.
It would indeed take more than just a tweet to convince him to play for Ghana.
Below are some reactions from Twitter:
He won’t play for Ghana bia
You don’t want partey to come to @Arsenal But you want @EddieNketiah9 to play for Ghana 🙄Don’t spoil the boys carrier
— Etor (@EtorFrancis) August 1, 2020
Eiiii…. Kwame Nkrumah Ghana. Where's our nationalism and patriotism? Y'all bashing GFA and advising the young chap not to come play for Ghana is just crazy. I don't really care if he comes or not but we (Ghanaians) need to hold Ghana high.
— Kwesi Baah (@manchuniangh5) August 2, 2020
👀
Eddie Nketiah ▶️ 🇬🇭 https://t.co/yp0QfqcPI3
— Owuraku Ampofo (@_owurakuampofo) August 1, 2020
Eddie they’re bringing u here to end up like Kevin prince boateng, Owusu abeyie n Adam kwarasey, if u think I’m lying just dm and ask them bro… Take your time and play next to Rashford and Sancho otherwise you’ll end up with Bernard Tekpetey Dems 🤣🤣🤣
— Six Mi Ludu (@HuzzlerGh) August 2, 2020
Oh yes it's good to make the world know he is Ghanaian. There are lots of equally talented players in Ghana. Why don't you guys focus on them? Sigh. https://t.co/EyVWXqGGM6
— EDEM🀄⚽🃏 (@Boss_Khemi) August 2, 2020
He no be any extraordinary player. Make you guys no bring am here… Make he stay there like that
— 🤴🏿KoJo⚡ (@dis_is_kojo) August 2, 2020
This is a beautiful gesture from the FA, I don't care decision came from the top or just the handle user, is a great move. We can't sit idle and lose some good prospects ledt and right, pls for the good of blackstars keep poaching
— Nana Boateng (@jaylanikojo) August 1, 2020
The comments under this tweet says a lot. https://t.co/LtrLWvvnRU
— Godfred Akoto Boafo (@eastsportsman) August 2, 2020
Go and ask Emmanuel Frimpong what ghana did to him. pic.twitter.com/N1KilKjTOz
— Jamal Adams (@alhajidubaijnr) August 2, 2020
I would rather bring Kevin back. The guy isn't good and for you @EddieNketiah9 stay there don't come here. You will rein your career.
— Solomon Murray Jnr (@murray_jnr) August 2, 2020
Ha! Fa charm offensive nu hooki me 💉💉💉 https://t.co/qcfbX5Qhui
— Emmanuel Ayamga (@EmmanuelAyamga_) August 1, 2020
Please do everything you can to get him to play for the Black Stars.
Africa can't continue to lose her stars to European nations.— Gooner Kale (@GoonerKale) August 2, 2020
So sad reading the comments below, but it speaks volumes of who we really are as Ghanaians…..always trying to backstab and backbite our own forgetting that such comments and utterances will oneday come back and haunt us….
Shame!
— Prof. Daakyene Agyenim Boateng🤴 (@InQuiSiTiveMynd) August 2, 2020
And guess which people are telling Eddie not to play for this beautiful country? https://t.co/cfhrgqrjWU
— small guy, BIG GOD (@KwameAddo1) August 1, 2020
He shud never even drm of playing 4r gh. This nation is not worth dying for. Bunch of greedy and selfish people
— GenerationalThinker (@RichardNtiri1) August 2, 2020
We don't value talents to the extend that our small town parks are being sold to people to build houses and stores, our youths with sporting talents ends up joining rascals on the streets
— Gadd Hommie (@GodHommie) August 2, 2020
Self put put … @EddieNketiah9 Make U no come Black Stars … #Ask @Adam Quarasay https://t.co/ii8PwSqCLh
— Kojo _Enumud3🇬🇭 (@Waay3Kasa) August 2, 2020
Tell Partey to come to Arsenal. Then he'll guide Eddie home to Ghana🤗🤝 https://t.co/TcL8T5AhYS
— Kofi K✊🏽 (@thekofiken) August 1, 2020