AFCON Failure: Elvis Afriyie Ankrah Urges Ghanaians to Forgive the Black Stars
Former Sports Minister calls for national unity and healing, reflecting on past challenges as the team sets sights on future qualifiers.
- Ghana's Black Stars fail to qualify for the 2025 AFCON
- Afriyie Ankrah urges Ghanaians to forgive the team
- He highlights public disconnect and past issues
Former Youth and Sports Minister Elvis Afriyie Ankrah has called for national forgiveness in the wake of the Black Stars’ failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Ghana finished last in Group F with only three points from six matches, marking the team’s first absence from the AFCON in 20 years.
Despite widespread criticism and calls for changes in the team’s technical staff, Afriyie Ankrah emphasized the importance of letting go of past grievances.
He reflected on the lingering fallout from the 2014 World Cup crisis, suggesting the nation never fully resolved the underlying issues. “As a country, we need to forgive them and move on,” he said.
Afriyie Ankrah also addressed the disconnect between the Black Stars and the public, highlighting comments made by the coach about the negative sentiments directed at the team.
He pointed to the hostile atmosphere, referencing chants aimed at the players, as a sign of deeper issues. Looking ahead, the Black Stars now turn their attention to the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, beginning in March 2025 against Chad and Madagascar.