Youth and Sports Minister, Mustapha Ussif, has expressed profound dissatisfaction with the recent performance of the Black Stars in major tournaments.
The once-mighty four-time Africa Champions has failed to meet expectations, experiencing premature exits in the last three major tournaments.
Prior to the early exit at the just-ended 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the Black Stars suffered similar group-stage eliminations in the AFCON 2021 and the World Cup 2022.
The Sports Minister, while addressing Parliament on Wednesday, unequivocally stated that such subpar performances were unacceptable, especially given the considerable financial investments made by the government in the team.
“The Black Stars’ lackluster showings in the last three major tournaments – the 2021 AFCON in Cameroon, the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, and the 2023 AFCON in Cote D’Ivoire, where Ghana exited at the group stages in all three instances, despite the significant investments from the government is simply not acceptable” Mr. Ussif fumed.
The Black Stars most recent disappointment was in the 2023 AFCON tournament, where they were knocked out in the group stage, with Ivory Coast eventually clinching the title.
In the group stage, Ghana could only muster two draws and a defeat, finishing third in Group B and failing to secure a victory.
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