Former Sports Minister Elvis Afriyie Ankrah has called on Ghanaians to forgive the Black Stars for their failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The Black Stars’ campaign ended in disappointment, as they finished last in Group F with no wins from six matches.
Their performance was marked by failures to secure any home victories, including a 1-0 loss to Angola in Kumasi, a goalless draw with Sudan, and a 2-1 defeat to Niger at the Accra Sports Stadium.
The 2025 AFCON, set to take place in Morocco from December 23, 2025, to January 18, 2026, will be the first time the country hosts the tournament since 1988. Twenty-four teams, including defending champions Cote d’Ivoire, will compete.
In an interview on Channel One TV’s Face to Face, Afriyie Ankrah acknowledged the frustration among fans but urged them to remain calm and forgive the players.
He described the team’s performance as “sad” and called for a reset, noting that the Black Stars’ struggles began in 2014 due to a failure to adhere to a proper player development plan.
He stressed the need for a unified effort to rebuild the team and restore its former glory.
“It was very sad, I think that it is about time the whole country takes a closer look at the entire Black Stars sports and do a rethink and it’s time for a reset. Because the results speak for themselves. I think that we had the opportunity to exorcise certain tendencies, way back in 2014, but we didn’t do it sufficiently well enough and it was like putting a plaster over a sore.
“And also the focus was on unnecessary externalities, and sensationalism, yes things happened in Brazil, and I took responsibility and apologised. But there was so much focus on non-essentials. Up till today, people think that I bought a coconut for $100, completely senseless. And all things that are not true and necessary.
“I think that we should forgive them, I feel that there’s a certain residue of anger and unforgiveness on the part of supporters against the team. We should forgive them.”
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