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Ghana faces heartbreak as the Black Stars miss AFCON 2025 sparking national soul-searching over football's decline.
Since the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia, Ghana has been a permanent fixture at the continent’s premier football tournament.
The Black Stars, once hailed as one of Africa’s footballing giants, have lifted the AFCON trophy four times and consistently appeared among the top contenders.
However, a 2-0 defeat by Sudan has shattered those expectations, leaving Ghana on the brink of missing out on the 2025 AFCON for the first time in over two decades.
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The mood in Ghana is one of deep frustration and sorrow as former Black Stars midfielder Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu articulated what many fans are feeling.
“We’ve not been truthful to ourselves and this is where we have landed. The team is not playing well, there’s no consistency or passion. We are playing like there’s nothing at stake. It’s very sad and embarrassing for us,” he said, speaking to BBC Sport Africa.
The soul-searching has begun but the road to recovery seems steep.
The once-mighty Black Stars have won only three of their last 16 matches, a decline that has been stark and painful. It is not just the defeats that sting, but the manner in which Ghana has faltered.
The lackluster performances have left fans disillusioned and many are questioning the direction of the national team.
Despite their rich football history, Ghana is now in unfamiliar territory — languishing third in their qualification group with a meager two points from a possible 12 effectively eliminated from the race to Morocco.
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In his second spell in charge of the Black Stars, coach Otto Addo has come under increasing pressure.
After leading Ghana to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, expectations were high when the Ghana Football Association (GFA) handed him a three-year contract, focusing on qualifying for both the 2025 AFCON and the 2026 World Cup.
But those ambitions now lie in tatters as the team’s dismal performances in recent matches, including a shock defeat by Sudan have raised serious questions about Addo’s future at the helm.
The off-pitch issues have only compounded the team’s problems. Structural concerns have emerged, with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) recently withdrawing approval for the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi to host international matches.
This forced Ghana to scramble to meet CAF standards at Accra Sports Stadium, barely securing a venue for their crucial qualifier against Sudan. Even the passionate speech by GFA President Kurt Okraku ahead of that match failed to inspire a positive outcome.
“Once you come here and you put on the shirt, that should give you the pride to fight, show passion, aggression, desire to win for your country,” Okraku told the players.
His message was blunt: “When you draw games and I see players laughing, smiling, [it] is not acceptable. Thirty million people are suffering.”
Yet, despite this rallying cry, Ghana’s results have only worsened, culminating in the 2-0 defeat that extinguished their AFCON hopes.
Captain Mohammed Kudus, a key figure in the Black Stars’ setup, offered an apology to fans, acknowledging the disappointment felt across the country.
"Despite our utmost effort and dedication, the results did not reflect our aspirations or the pride we have in representing our beloved nation,” he said. “
We want to assure Ghanaians that we are committed to learning from our mistakes, regrouping, and working tirelessly to restore the Black Stars to our former glory.”
However, for many, words are not enough the pain of missing out on the AFCON — a tournament where Ghana has historically thrived — is almost unbearable.
The sight of Kwesi Appiah, a former Black Stars coach, now guiding Sudan to victory only added salt to the wound. Appiah, who previously led Ghana at the 2014 World Cup and two AFCON tournaments, has turned Sudan into a formidable side, showcasing what Ghana has been missing — tactical discipline and a clear vision.
The decline of Ghanaian football, many argue, stems from deeper issues.
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Former players and coaches have pointed to the lack of investment in youth development, which was once the country’s strength.
“Our strong weapon was our junior national teams,” Agyemang-Badu noted, reflecting on Ghana’s historic 2009 Under-20 World Cup triumph.
Yet in recent years, the pathway from youth teams to the senior national side has been neglected.
The once-proud Black Stars are at a crossroads. Fans, former players, and officials alike agree that structural changes are necessary if the team is to return to its former glory.
But the immediate reality is bleak. Missing out on the 2025 AFCON is a national tragedy and the journey back to the top will require more than just promises — it will demand a complete overhaul of the system.
For now, Ghanaians are left to mourn, not just the loss of a tournament spot but the fading identity of a team that once embodied their footballing pride.
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