A former member of the Black Stars management committee, Ernest Thompson, has described Ghana’s failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as extremely embarrassing.
For the first time in 20 years, the four-time African champions will not feature in the continental tournament, which is set to take place in Morocco.
Ghana’s poor showing in Group F of the qualifiers—comprising Sudan, Niger, and Angola—saw the team finish at the bottom after six matches, managing only three draws and three losses.
“Simply put, the situation we find ourselves in is extremely embarrassing. Of course, we’ve missed the AFCON about six times. I remember when Rwanda knocked us out [in 2003] and we couldn’t qualify for one [in 2004], but this is extremely embarrassing for a lot of reasons, not least being the fact that the team itself is not playing well,” Thompson told Joy Sports.
Thompson acknowledged that missing out on qualification can happen in football but pointed out that the ongoing underperformance of the Black Stars makes this failure especially troubling.
“If the team is playing well and we don’t qualify, that’s football. But the team is not playing well and has not been playing well for a very long time. I can put my foot down and say that maybe after Brazil [2014 World Cup], we have not been good, and I can say that maybe there’s something wrong somewhere,” he added.
Drawing from conversations with football insiders, including former foreign coaches and Ghana Football Association (GFA) officials, Thompson highlighted deep systemic issues within the team.
“Fortunately for me, I have access. I have spoken to the people at the top of the FA, I have spoken to some of our past foreign coaches, and it’s extremely embarrassing the kind of things we hear,” he noted.
He urged swift and decisive reforms to prevent further deterioration, warning that complacency could have dire long-term consequences.
“What is important now is that we need cool heads and to take drastic decisions. If we don’t have the leaders to take these drastic decisions, we will just tinker with things and remain where we are,” he warned.
Meanwhile, the future of head coach Otto Addo remains uncertain, with the GFA expected to make a decision on his position on Wednesday, November 27, following the team’s failure to secure qualification.