Former Black Stars captain Stephen Appiah has expressed his gratitude for earning a place in Ghana’s squad for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, despite having been sidelined for several months due to injury.
Appiah, who missed the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations in Angola earlier that year, was a surprise inclusion by coach Milovan Rajevac, raising questions about his fitness and readiness for the tournament.
Reflecting on his selection, Appiah attributed his inclusion to the injury of Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu, which opened up a spot for him in the squad.
“In 2010, I was lucky to be part of the team,” Appiah told 3Sports.
“If Agyemang-Badu was okay, maybe I wouldn’t have been part of the 2010 World Cup, which would have been difficult,” he added.
Ghana went on to make history by becoming one of only five African teams to reach the quarterfinals at the time.
The Black Stars are now aiming to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.