It is our World Cup, take it serious – Appiah urges Black Stars ahead of 2023 AFCON

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Former Ghana international, Stephen Appiah has called on the Black Stars to approach the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament with all seriousness.

Ghana, who are four-time champions have been placed in Group B alongside Egypt, Cape Verde and Mozambique for the tournament slated to kick start on January 13 to February 11 in Ivory Coast next.

Appiah, who is a former Black Stars captain and competed for the trophy on several occasions but failed to win, has urged the current crop of players to play with their all as winning the trophy would mean a lot.

“[The AFCON] is our World Cup so it’s very important. Being part of the players that would be selected to go and play in the tournament is very huge,” he told Joy Sports during the AFCON trophy tour unveiling at the TotalEnergies House on Monday, November 27.

“For [the players], nobody should tell them how important the AFCON is. So they should go out there and play their hearts out and I am sure something will come out of it,” the Hearts of Oak and Juventus legend added.

The Black Stars are expected to regroup again for the tournament early in January after their disappointing start to the 2026 FIFA World Cup where they won one and lost the other of their first two opening games.