Accra: Former Black Stars midfielder, Laryea Kingston has revealed that his career took a significant hit after missing out on the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
According to Ghana Web, Kingston expressed that the decision by coach Milovan Rajevac to exclude him from the 23-man squad for the World Cup was particularly painful because he believed he deserved a spot. Kingston, who was also not included in the 2006 tournament in Germany, stated that the 2010 exclusion was unexpected not only for him but for several members of the national team at the time.
In an interview with 3Sports, the former winger admitted that the experience remains challenging to revisit, even years later. "For me, the whole situation in 2010 came as a huge shock. It shocked not only me but most of the players as well," Kingston said. He added that his former teammates still occasionally tease him about the incident, but he has always felt it was unfair.
Kingston recalled the moment he was informed during Ghana's pre-tournament camp, describing how a late-night call led to a meeting with the technical team. "When I entered the conference room, I saw the entire technical team there. Nyantakyi was present, Dr Randy Abbey was there, the coach and his backroom staff were all seated. That was when they informed me about the decision. I was completely disappointed," he shared.
Currently, Laryea Kingston is serving as Uganda's U-17 national team coach.