Sports
Stop this illusion; we’re no longer Ghana!
• Ghana has not won the Nations Cup since 1982
Decades back, Ghana football was a sheer delight to behold – combining finesse and aggression to the approbation of the entire contingent and the world at large.
Those were the halcyon era where Ghana almost effortlessly crushed all that crossed its path, culminating in four Africa Cup of Nations conquests – the last one coming in 1982. The Black Stars had won the trophy in 1978 for keeps.
It was only a matter of course that Ghana was nicknamed the Brazil of Africa, referring to the Brazilian national team that won the World Cup for keeps after its third conquest in 1970 – as defined by FIFA President Jules Rimet in 1930.
Come to think of it, the Stars have failed to win the Nations Cup grail ever since its last feat some 41 years ago. Even though the nation made some massive gains in youth football, we could not hold competition at the senior level by the scruff of the neck. We have never been consistent. Glow today and glum tomorrow!
Egypt that had clinched the trophy only two times when we were four-time champions, are now seven-time winners, whilst Cameroon are now five-time champions, having won the first coronet in 1984.
Worst of it all is that, we still consider ourselves giants of African football, and it is that illusion, get beaten embarrassingly by teams that are deemed minnows.
As far back as 1994, an unknown band of players from little known East African Burundi beat an Anthony Yeboah-led Ghana 1-0 in a World Cup qualifier, in the then capital Bujumbura. The world was in total shock. Nobody believed the result.
It was a rude awakening for Ghana football; at least, it thought us bitter lessons. One: we should not underestimate the strength of our opponents. Two: the gulf of difference between the teams at the apex and those at the bottom of the African game, has narrowed tremendously, and lastly we are no longer the Gullivers as we used to be.
Indeed, it is very lucid that we are failing to accept the fact that other nations – who were then playing second fiddle to us, have caught up or even overtaken us. It is one bitter reality we need to accept now to enable us re-engineer our football.
Only last Sunday, our locally-assembled side – known as the Black Galaxies, were beaten 2-1 by Island side Madagascar in their opening Group C match of the ongoing Championship of African Nations (CHAN) tournament in Algeria.
In terms of team profile, the Malagasy are nowhere near Ghana. But things have changed and the high time we got that to sink deeply, the better for us.
That defeat comes on the heels of a similar loss to minnows Comoros Islands who drubbed a near star-studded Ghana team 3-2 in last year’s Africa Cup of Nations played in Cameroon. Ghana needed to account for the Islanders to qualify to the next stage of the tournament. They failed – and the shocking slump led to a distressingly calamitous first round exit.
The Galaxies’ loss to Madagascar should serve as clarion call to our football managers to work like a Trojan, break their back and fix our football.
Interestingly, the other Group C game between defending champions Morocco and Sudan did not take place because Morocco failed to turn up – due to the political cataclysm with host nation Algeria.
Morocco and Algeria are locked in a rancorous rivalry partly over the disputed territory of Western Sahara, where the Algerian-backed Polisario Movement seeks an independence referendum.
The situation has whittled down the group to three teams – meaning that anything aside victory in the Galaxies’ next game against Sudan, could blow them out of contention.
Well, whatever the upshot of that game is, may not really be the issue. The issue is that we have got to fix our domestic football to be able to build a formidable league where players would be surplus for requirement – or be made to battle fiercely for positions.
But first and foremost, we have to accept that we are no longer the best on the continent. We are no longer the Brazilians of African football. That sobriquet was surrendered long ago! We may have qualified for the World Cup four times; may have dazzled our way to the quarters of the Mundial; may have been the only African country to win the FIFA Under-20 World Cup (2009), but we should admit our football has sunk.
Of course, it is not a despairing situation, but we have a really tough row to hoe.
PlainTalk with John Vigah
Sports
Black Starlets arrives in Morocco on U-17 AFCON mission …FA boss charges team to make Ghana proud
The Black Starlets, the national U-17 male team, have safely arrived in Casablanca ahead of the 2026 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The team departed Accra on Wednesday, travelling with a 35-man contingent made up of 21 players and 14 officials, all focused on delivering a strong campaign on the continental stage.
They completed a smooth five-hour flight to Morocco, where final preparations will continue before the tournament kicks off.
The technical team is expected to fine-tune tactics and build cohesion among the squad as they gear up for the competition.
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) President, Mr Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, was present at the Accra International Airport to bid farewell to the team.
Speaking during a brief farewell at the Airport, the FA President urged the team to carry a ‘never say die’ spirit into the competition.
President Simeon-Okraku emphasised the importance of mental strength and unity, particularly in difficult moments during matches. His message was inspired by the team’s recent friendly encounters against Cote d’Ivoire, where they bounced back strongly after an initial defeat.
“I’m very happy that when you lost to Cote d’Ivoire in your first game during your friendly matches, you were able to bounce back—not only to dominate but to outscore them in the second game,” he said. “I read a lot of meaning into that, and I want all of you to keep that in your heads—that, it’s not over until it’s all over,” he added.
The FA president stressed that the ability to respond positively to setbacks would be crucial in a tournament as competitive as the AFCON.
He encouraged the players to stay united and support one another when the pressure intensifies on the continental stage.
“When the chips are down, that’s when we need to hold each other together,” Okraku added. “So go out there and make Ghana proud.”
Ghana will compete in Group D alongside Algeria, Senegal, and South Africa, with their opening match scheduled for Thursday, May 14.
Twenty-three (23) players have been called up for this month’s international friendly against Mexico.
The squad is composed of star players from the domestic league and European leagues who are closely monitored by Coach Carlos Queiroz, as well as U-23 players who will soon represent Ghana in the upcoming Olympic Games qualifiers.
Notable names include Majeed Ashimeru, Felix Afena-Gyan, Razak Simpson, and Birmingham City’s Ibrahim Osman.
Ashimeru returns to action after a long spell on the sidelines due to a muscle injury that limited his appearances at both club and national level.
Also in the team is Felix Afena-Gyan, whose last appearance for Ghana was in May last year when he featured against Trinidad and Tobago in the Unity Cup in London.
Barcelona B’s Abdul Aziz Issah, Ebenezer Annan of AS Saint-Étienne, Ibrahim Osman of Birmingham City, and Paul Reverson of Ajax FC have also been included in the squad.
Midfielder Salim Adams, one of the key players for Ghana Premier League leaders Medeama SC, leads the group of home-based players.
Others are Heart of Lions’ Ebenezer Abban, Ebenezer Adade of Dreams FC, and Nations FC captain Razak Simpson. Ghana will travel to Mexico for the international friendly on Friday, May 22, 2026.
