Former President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kwesi Nyantakyi, remains hopeful that the Black Stars still have a chance to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but he insists that significant changes are necessary to turn the team’s fortunes around.
In a recent interview on Lawson TV, Nyantakyi addressed the concerns surrounding the team’s recent struggles and outlined what needs to be done for qualification. “I don’t think all is lost, but we must fix it,” he said, emphasizing the importance of the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Chad and Madagascar in March. “The right players must be called for these games,” he stressed.
Nyantakyi highlighted the need to focus on the future of the team, with particular attention given to the development and integration of younger players. He underscored the importance of revamping the youth teams and facilitating their smooth transition to the senior side. “We need to revamp the youth teams and focus on their transition to the senior side to strengthen the Black Stars,” Nyantakyi explained.
He pointed to the success of Ghana’s U-20 team, which won the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Egypt, as a model for future success. “If we look at Ghana’s U-20 team, who won the World Cup in Egypt in 2009, they were successfully integrated into the Black Stars,” he noted, adding that their integration played a key role in the Black Stars’ impressive performances, including reaching the final of the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations and coming close to the semi-finals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
Nyantakyi believes such achievements can be replicated, but it will require careful selection and a commitment to excellence. “It should not be the normal call-ups but players who are ready and dedicated to play for the country and the shirt,” he said, stressing that only the most committed players should be chosen to represent Ghana at the highest level.
