Ghana Football Association (GFA) President Kurt Okraku says qualifying to participate in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) isn’t a given.
On the other hand, the GFA President tagged a Black Stars qualification to the continental championship as a “big step” for the Association.
He said this in his address delivered at a press briefing in Kumasi following the Black Stars’ first-round stage exit from the 2023 AFCON in Cote D’Ivoire.
While Ghana has qualified to compete in every AFCON tournament since missing out on the 2004 edition, the GFA President believes qualifying for the tournament is something that needs to be celebrated.
“Making it to the mundial in 2022 was a big step for us (after missing out on the 2018 edition). Qualifying to the AFCON, even though today we see it as a given, was a big step because we’ve had times that our Black Stars never made it to the AFCON.”
Despite competing in the 2021 and 2023 AFCONs, Ghana has failed to progress from the group stage in both editions.
Many believe the GFA boss’ interference in the recently sacked Chris Hughton’s work played a big role in Ghana’s abysmal performance at the 2023 AFCON, but Kurt Okraku dismissed that notion.
