Sports
Fallen standard of the Black Stars
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Ghana football a score ago, was a beauty and delight to watch; a gem to lay your life for and an opportunity to elevate your spirit. Times have past and fast forward, the spirit of the nation behind the famous and trusted Black Stars of Ghana has drown in the abyss of fallen standard.
Fans no longer enjoy the game of our once beloved Black Stars. Gone were the days our skeletons danced to the clamouring sounds of “vuvuzelas” at the stadium. In the midst of opposing noise, the standout language was “Black Stars, Do or Die” with a countless number the red, yellow and green colours on display in every corner of the country.
Indeed, Ghana owes gratitude to likes of Tony Yeboah, Abedi Pele, Shamo Quaye, Sammy Kuffuor, just to mention a few. These are the legends who committed themselves even without inducement making sure that, Ghana had its name written in the historical books of the African biggest tournament – African Cup of Nations (AFCON) and the world at large.
If we recall the Black Stars’ history, the last time the Stars won a trophy was in the year 1982. Subsequently, Black Stars have succeeded in qualifying to the AFCON many times, but failed to bring the trophy home unlike the Pharaohs of Egypt with whom they once upon a time rocked shoulders with on the continent.
African exploit
The Stars have successfully won four times the biggest tournament in Africa. The story started in 1963 – that was the fourth edition of the AFCON as Ghana hosted. They eventually made it to the finals to face Sudan on home soil. Goodness dawned on the Stars with a three-goal margin to lift the first trophy. Afterwards, the winning spirit settled on the Stars in the next edition of the tournament in 1965 making it, a back-to-back.
Preceding that, the Pharaohs of Egypt won the trophy twice; the first and second editions of the tournament to become the first country to win it twice in a row. It was a tie between the Stars and the Pharaohs until Ghana broke the tie with two more trophies in 1978 and 1982.
I am very sure the cheering hearts at the time believed the Black Stars would remain the leading nation in the AFCON. It is rather unfortunate that, since the last trophy won in 1982, Black Stars is yet to lift a trophy. However, the Pharaohs have managed to lift it five more times making it a record seven times including the ones they won in three consecutive editions (2006, 2008, and 2010). Painfully, the last trophy the Egyptians celebrated on the African stage was an encounter with the Black Stars in Angola.
As if that was not enough, the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon never tasted Africa glory when Ghana last lifted its fourth trophy; however, history now remembers Cameroon as the second most successful on the Continent of Africa after lifting it five times. Nigeria, a West Africa neighbour is breathing on the neck of Ghana with a trophy to equal Ghana; even though it also won none as at the time the Black Stars won it for the fourth time.
It must be well noted that, the Black Stars is in history the worst performing country at the AFCON finals, having lost the final five times. Ghana lost to Congo (Kinshasa), Sudan, and Egypt in 1968, 1970 and 2010 respectively; they also lost to West African neighbours La Cote d’ Ivoire in 1992 and 2015 on penalties. In effect, all two trophies won by “Les Elephants De La Cote d’ Ivoire” came at the hands of the Stars.
Exploit of local players
The Stars have tasted some sweet feet in football in Africa. The likes of Abedi Pele, Tony Yeboah and Sammy Kuffor made history for Ghana. In the 1960s down to late 2000s, the Stars were dominated by locally talented players such as Dodoo Ankrah, Ernest Joe De Graft, Addo Odametey, Atta Kwame, Charles Taylor and several others. These players were dominating in the local league; they played for Real Republicans (which dissolved in 1966), Accra Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko. They were equally good as the Pharaohs unlike the recent Black Stars.
Nowadays, we had and have big names who play in some of the top football leagues in the world – English Premier League, Spanish LaLiga, Italian Serie A and others, yet, trophies fail to smile at us. The golden generation of the Black Stars with Stars such as Asamoah Gyan, Stephen Appiah, Michael Essien, Sulley Muntari, Richard Kingson, John Mensah, Samuel Adjei, Dede Ayew and other international league players failed to win a single trophy. Imagine, when Black Stars was dominated by locally talented players, they won trophies so the acclaimed international players could have done better than that.
Look at the Pharaohs, even in the 21st century, you can count the number of players who played abroad in their national team. It seems they believe in their “home-made” players than those abroad. Players such as Mohammed Hany, Zizo, Afsha, Abdallah El Said, Mohamed Abu Treika played in their local league. They played the likes of Zamalek, Al Ahly and Pyramids equivalent to our local such Hearts of Oak, Asante Kotoko and other teams in the Ghana Premier League.
The patriotic spirit that elevated Black Stars into the memory of African football and the world seems to be in exchange for some foreign “papers with numbers” on them. The cheering spirits have significantly faded. The “street love” for the Black Stars has washed away.
There is a high possibility that if individuals who are fortunate to manage the Stars revisit the ancient way of selecting players “sankofa yenkyi”, Black Stars will rise again to resurrect the “street love” for Ghana football.
BY FRANCIS ELORM AGUDU
The Black Queens kick off their 2026 CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations journey on Wednesday, July 29, when they take on Cape Verde in their Group C opener in Morocco.
Coach Kim Lars Björkegren and his team go into the match full of confidence after weeks of intensive preparations.
The Queens held a successful pre-tournament training camp and played friendly matches to fine-tune ahead of the competition.
With morale high, Ghana’s senior women’s team will be targeting maximum points to get their campaign off to the perfect start.
The match is set for 5:00 PM GMT at the Moulay Rachid Stadium.
Football fans across Ghana will be watching closely, hoping the Queens can secure a positive result and lay the foundation for a memorable WAFCON 2026 run.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
With the World Cup fever gradually dying down, attention would switch to other equally important competitions from now to the latter parts of the year.
Barely a week after the global football showpiece that saw Spain upstaged Argentina as World Champions, over 70 countries gathered in Glasgow, Scotland for the Commonwealth Games that is attracting hundreds of athletes from the Commonwealth community.
Equally, 16 top female national teams in Africa would commence competition for the bragging rights as African champions when the delayed Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 2026 kicks off in Morocco tomorrow.
The Super Falcons of Nigeria are usually considered favourites for this showpiece, having shown the strength and character to dominate the game on the continent.
As defending champions, they come in strongly again, expected to face a more difficult sides like the Black Queens of Ghana, Zambia and Morocco who have been touted as possible teams to cause an upset.
Of the 16 qualified teams, nine featured at the previous edition held in 2024.
Botswana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Tunisia, who qualified in 2024, missed out this time, while Cape Verde and Malawi will make their first appearance in the tournament.
Today, The Spectator Sports takes a look at some of the teams expected to rub shoulders with the big guns in the female game.
Cameroon
After missing the previous edition, Cameroon returns to the CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026 determined to re-establish themselves among Africa’s elite.
The Indomitable Lionesses, one of the continent’s most successful women’s national teams, secured a place at the expanded 16-team tournament after receiving a second chance through CAF’s revised qualification system.
Now, under newly appointed head coach Valentine Nguele and inspired by emerging midfield star Naomi Eto, Cameroon will be aiming not only to reclaim their place among Africa’s leading nations but also to secure qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Cameroon boasts one of the richest histories in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
The Indomitable Lionesses have reached the final on three occasions—in 2004, 2014 and 2016—but are still searching for their first continental title.
Their consistency has also been reflected in three third-place finishes in 2002, 2012 and 2018, giving Cameroon six podium finishes overall.
Only Nigeria and South Africa have accumulated more top-three finishes in the history of the competition, underlining Cameroon’s long-standing status among Africa’s leading women’s football nations.
Zambia
After finishing third in 2022 and falling short of expectations at the 2024 edition, Zambia head to the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026 determined to establish themselves among Africa’s elite.
With one of the continent’s most feared attacking units and new head coach Nora Häuptle at the helm, the Copper Queens will be aiming to lift the Women’s AFCON trophy for the first time.
Barbra Banda remains one of the biggest names in African women’s football.
The Orlando Pride striker has established herself among the leading forwards in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and returns to international competition after recovering from a hip injury suffered late last year.
Powerful, direct and clinical in front of goal, Banda will once again spearhead Zambia’s attack as the Copper Queens pursue their first continental title.
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso (Stallions Ladies) return to the competition determined to make history after missing the 2024 edition. Encouraged by an impressive qualifying campaign, the Stallions Ladies head to Morocco aiming to progress beyond the group stage for the first time.
Burkina Faso secured qualification with convincing victories over Burundi and Togo.
The Stallions Ladies defeated Burundi 5-1 on aggregate, following a commanding 4-1 first-leg victory before completing the job with a 1-0 win in the return fixture.
They carried that momentum into the final qualifying round against Togo, winning 2-0 in the first leg before sealing qualification with another 1-0 victory to complete a 3-0 aggregate success.
Nigeria
Reigning champions Nigerias head to Morocco 2026 looking to extend their remarkable record in the competition. With 10 continental titles to their name, the Super Falcons remain the most successful team in the tournament’s history..
Led by Captain Rasheedat Ajibade and head coach Justine Madugu, Nigeria once again begin the competition among the favourites.
Nigeria secured qualification to Morocco 2026 by defeating Benin 3-1 on aggregate in the second round of qualifying.
Having received a bye in the opening round, the Super Falcons took control of the tie with a 2-0 away victory in Cotonou.
They completed the job in Abeokuta, drawing 1-1 in the second leg after Ashleigh Plumptre opened the scoring before Benin equalised through Yasmine Djibril.
The result ensured another successful qualification campaign for the reigning African champions.
Cote d’Ivoire
After a 12-year absence from Africa’s biggest women’s football competition, Côte d’Ivoire returns to the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations aiming to re-establish themselves among the continent’s leading nations.
The Elephants secured an unexpected route back to the finals following the expansion of the tournament from 12 to 16 teams.
Now guided by experienced French coach Reynald Pedros and inspired by prolific striker Habibou Ouedraogo, Côte d’Ivoire believe they have the talent to challenge Africa’s established powers once again.
The Elephants were knocked out in the final qualifying round after a fiercely contested tie against Senegal. Neither side managed to score across the two legs, with Senegal eventually prevailing 5-4 on penalties to deny the Ivorians automatic qualification.
Following the expansion of the Women’s AFCON from 12 to 16 participating teams, CAF allocated the additional places based on the FIFA Women’s World Ranking.
⚽ Group A: Morocco, Algeria, Senegal, Kenya,
⚽ Group B: South Africa, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Tanzania
⚽ Group C: Nigeria, Zambia, Egypt, Malawi
⚽ Group D: Ghana, Cameroon, Mali, Cape Verde
By Andrew Nortey
