Former Ghana international Ibrahim Tanko has expressed his disappointment over the Black Stars’ failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), calling it a big blow.
This marks the first time in two decades that Ghana, a four-time AFCON champion, will not compete in Africa’s premier football tournament.
The Black Stars finished last in Group F, failing to secure a single victory, with three draws and three losses.
In their final two qualifiers, Ghana drew 1-1 against Angola in Luanda and suffered a 2-1 defeat to Niger at the Accra Sports Stadium.
“It is very bitter for us and also a big blow for Ghana football because this is the first time in over 20 years that we are not qualifying for the competition,” Tanko told Flashscore.
“It is not good for us, the former players, as well as the Ghana Football Association. We are definitely going to feel it.”
Tanko also pointed out that while the national team has the talent, some key players were unavailable for these crucial matches.
“In terms of players, we have them. For these games (vs Angola & Niger), some players did not come, yet we still had a very good squad to compete.”
“Qualification for tournaments has always been easy for Ghana except for this one. The GFA needs to sit down and analyze what is happening. There is no tournament where we haven’t gone past the group stage, but in recent times, we have not made it out of the group stage.”
Despite his frustration, Tanko acknowledged the evolving nature of international football, where no team can be considered an underdog anymore.
“Consider the teams we faced! In the past, everyone could predict the outcomes against Ghana, but football has completely evolved.”
“Today, every country boasts talented players, both in their domestic leagues and abroad. Take Sudan, for example—their league may not be top-tier, but their national team is excelling, even leading their World Cup qualification group ahead of Senegal. This shows how competitive football has become across the board.”
Tanko emphasized that this shift applies to all countries, not just Ghana.
“This applies to other countries as well, not just Ghana. Everyone knows how to play football now, so you must prepare thoroughly, just as you would when facing any of the top teams.”
Ghana’s qualification campaign began with a 1-0 loss to Angola at the Baba Yara Stadium, followed by a 1-1 draw with Niger.
The Black Stars had hoped to turn their fortunes around against Sudan but were held to a 0-0 draw in Accra before suffering a 2-0 defeat in the return leg.
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